Cell-mediated immunity to chemically xenogenized tumors. II. Evidence for accessory function and self-antigen presentation by a highly immunogenic tumor variant.

To determine whether antigen-presenting ability might be involved in the superior immunogenicity of chemically xenogenized tumors over that of parental cells, we tested a murine lymphoma line xenogenized by a triazene derivative for expression of Ia antigens, ability to present soluble antigen in vitro, and production of factor(s) active in a mouse thymocyte assay. Results showed that Ia antigens, absent on nonimmunogenic parental L5178Y cells, were expressed on a xenogenized, highly immunogenic tumor variant (clone D), as detected by immunofluorescence. While the ability of parental cells to stimulate lymphocyte proliferation in vitro was lost on removal of Ia+ cells from the responder population, considerable augmentation of reactivity was observed upon depletion of Ia+ cells from the population of splenocytes responding to the xenogenized cells. Under these conditions, stimulation was blocked by anti-Ia antibodies, or an anti-L3T4 reagent or antibodies to the novel antigenic determinants induced by xenogenization. In addition, no stimulating activity was observed following exposure of clone D cells to glutaraldehyde or lysosomotropic agents such as chloroquine and ammonia. When the ability of clone D cells to present ovalbumin in vitro was assayed, it was found that the xenogenized cells could present the soluble antigen to specifically primed lymphocytes. Moreover, clone D cells could substitute for splenic adherent cells in the proliferative reaction of splenocytes to concanavalin A. Finally, when the supernate from clone D-cell culture pulsed with phorbol myristic acetate was tested in a mouse thymocyte assay, considerable IL-1-like activity was disclosed.