Induction in a murine tumor of immunogenic tumor variants by transfection with a foreign gene

Cancer Res. 1988 Jun 1;48(11):2975-80.

Abstract

Transfection of the undifferentiated murine colon carcinoma line CT-26 with the gene coding for the hemagglutination antigen (HA) of influenza virus resulted in the generation of highly immunogenic tumor cells. CT-26 cells transfected with HA not only failed to grow in syngeneic mice but also protected normal animals against a challenge with otherwise lethal doses of parental nontransfected cells. The immunogenicity of HA-transfected cells appeared to correlate with surface HA expression in that tumorigenic clones of HA-transfected CT-26 cells expressed little HA, while immunogenic clones were high expressers of HA. Irradiation of immunogenic HA clones did not abrogate their immunogenicity. These observations demonstrate that immune recognition of a poorly immunogenic tumor can be produced by immunization with tumor cells expressing a defined, foreign cell surface antigen.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colonic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Colonic Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic*
  • Female
  • Genetic Variation*
  • Genetic Vectors
  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Hemagglutinins, Viral / genetics*
  • Hemagglutinins, Viral / immunology
  • Immunization
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Plasmids
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology
  • Transfection*

Substances

  • Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus
  • Hemagglutinins, Viral