The ability of rat transplantable lymphosarcoma cells to synthesize immunoglobulins.

The hemolytic plaque assay of Jerne and Nordin has been used for the investigation of the ability of the transplantable rat lymphosarcoma cells to synthesize immunoglobulins. The data obtained indicate that in 3-4 days after antigen (sheep red blood cells) administration to the tumor-bearing rats, antibody (hemolysin) producers appear among lymphosarcoma cells. Most representative are the experiments on rats in which their own immune response was totally suppressed by X-ray irradiation. The induced hemolysis synthesis in rat lymphosarcoma cells persists at least 9 during successive transplantations of "primary immunized" tumors (45 cell generations). Total cytoplasmic RNA isolated from spleens of sheep red blood cells immunized rats induced hemolysin synthesis in lymphosarcoma cells in vitro. Such cells being inoculated into intact rats retained their ability to synthesize hemolysin up to 2-3 passages of tumor.