Importance of Lyt 1+ T-cells in the antitumor activity of an immunomodulator, SSM, extracted from human-type Tubercle bacilli.

An arabinomannan lipid extracted from Mycobacterium tuberculosis strain Aoyama B (SSM) is an immunopotentiating agent with interferon-inducing and antitumor activities. In the present study, the possible role(s) of various immunocompetent cells on the antitumor effect of SSM was investigated in mice bearing syngeneic (RL male 1 leukemia) and allogeneic (Ehrlich carcinoma) ascites tumors. When Thy 1+ T-cells were depleted from tumor-bearing mice by the administration of monoclonal anti-Thy 1.2 antibody, the protective effect of SSM was eliminated. However, when macrophage (M phi) and natural killer (NK) cell activities were depleted by treatment with M phi blockers (trypan blue and carrageenan) or a blocker for NK cells (anti-asialo GM1 antiserum), no alteration of the antitumor activity of SSM was observed. Therefore, T-lymphocytes, but not M phi or NK cells, were required for the expression of the antitumor efficacy of SSM. The antitumor activity of SSM was also abrogated by Lyt 1+ T-cells being depleted by treatment with monoclonal anti-Lyt 1.2 antibody, whereas the administration of monoclonal anti-Lyt 2.2 antibody had no effect on the antitumor activity. Independent of M phi, NK cells, or Lyt 2+ T-cells, Lyt 1+ T-lymphocytes appear to play an important role in the expression of the antitumor effects of SSM.