[Reconstitution of human immune systems in severe combined immunodeficient mouse--with reference to the reconstituted with human splenic cells and tissues from patients with gastric cancer].

Normal peripheral blood lymphocyte (PBL) from healthy donors, and splenic cells and tissues from patients with gastric cancers were implanted into the severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mouse. The normal PBLs at 10(7) and 10(8)/mouse were implanted intraperitoneally (ip), and three to six splenic tissues with a size of 3 x 3 x 3 mm from gastric cancer patients were inoculated subcutaneously (sc) into the bilateral backs of the mice. The dissociated splenic cells were also administered ip and intravenously (iv). At 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after inoculation, mice were killed, and the human IgG and IgM were assessed by ELISA method. SCID mice with splenic cells and tissue revealed high human IgG and IgM levels from 2 weeks after inoculation, while the IgG levels in mice treated with PBLs were limited. When the tetanus toxoid was challenged to SCID mice reconstituted with splenic tissue, the anti-tetanus IgG was observed in 10 of 43 mice, showing the human B cell functions in the mice. Although the reconstitution of T cell surface marker in SCID mice was incomplete, OKT3, OKT4 and OKT8 surface markers were successfully observed in 10% to 20% SCID mice of which splenic cells were incubated with IL-2 or anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody. This model was thought to be adequate for evaluating human immunological functions of the patients with gastric cancer in vivo.