Take and growth of the transplantable MC29 hepatoma in allogeneic and xenogeneic hosts.

We report here the unexpected biological behaviour of the transplantable MC29 virus-induced hepatoma. This neoplasm, originating from an inbred white Leghorn (Duke) chicken, is maintained in our laboratory by serial in vivo passages in Hunnia hybrid chickens allogeneic to the original host. More than 80% of the tumours developing after subcutaneous inoculation of 3 x 10(6) hepatoma cells into newly hatched chickens grew progressively, while after injection of the same number of cells into 7 days old birds regressive tumour growth was observed. Transplantation from the allogeneic hosts into 7 days old inbred white Leghorn (Duke) chickens also resulted in regression of tumours in the great majority of cases. After inoculation to xenogeneic Japanese quails, progressor tumours developed in both two weeks old and adult birds with a dramatic increase of the frequency of liver metastases. Transplantation to another xenogeneic host, the turkey, revealed an age-related resistance similar to that of Hunnia hybrid chickens.