Immunological analysis of A strain mice bearing the A-10 mammary adenocarcinoma.

The present investigation was undertaken to determine whether antitumor antibodies are produced by A strain mice during the growth of a transplantable mammary adenocarcinoma (A-10). The antibody response was monitored by a sensitive radioimmunoassay which can detect 1 ng of antibody. No evidence of a humoral antitumor response was observed in animals given i.p. or s.c. injections of A-10 ascites cells. Control experiments showed that a humoral response was detectable 1 week after the inoculation of an allogeneic tumor. Immunoglobulin binds nonspecifically to cells via an Fc portion of the immunoglobulin molecule, and this was seen with a tumor bearer serum pool and with immunoglobulin preparations eluted from A-10 ascites cells. No specific antitumor antibody was found in these sources. The A strain mice could not be immunized to reject a challenge of live A-10 cells with mitomycin C-treated A-10 cells, with neuraminidase-treated A-10 cells, or with A-10 membrane preparations. It was concluded that the A-10 tumor is not immunogenic in its host of origin.