Influence of whole body irradiation on intraperitoneal immunity in a syngeneic mouse lymphoma system.

DBA/2 mice were immunized against the syngeneic SL2 lymphoma by two injections with irradiated lymphoma cells or by two injections with irradiated cells followed by one injection with unirradiated cells. Whole body irradiation (500 rad) of the immunized mice caused a significant decrease in the number of peritoneal macrophages and lymphocytes. The spleen weight showed a transient decrease. However, whole body irradiation did not cause a significant decrease of the survival time of immunized mice challenged intraperitoneally with SL2 lymphoma cells.