Antibody response to lymphoma antigens in syngeneic and H-2 compatible mice.

The antibody response to immunization with A/J lymphoma L1117 cells by syngeneic A/J mice and by H-2 compatible B10.A mice has been show- to be highly specific for tumor antigens of the lymphoma cells. In both strains the response exhibits a very slow rise in cytotoxic antibody levels reaching a maximum only after 3 months of biweekly injections. It is also unusual in that cytotoxic activity is primarily due to IgM antibodies even after 20 weeks of immunization. The similarity between these characteristics and those reported for "T-independent" antigens suggests that tumor antigens on L1117 cells may be unable to stimulate helper T cells.