In vivo and in vitro analyses of the immunogenicity of B16 melanoma cells.

Abstract

In vitro grown B16, an H-2b melanoma cell line, was found to kill B10 (H-2b), B10.BR (H-2k), CBA (H-2k), and BALB/c (H-2d) but not B10.D2 (H-2d) mice. BALB/c mice could be protected against a lethal dose of B16 by co-administration of H-2b spleen or peritoneal exudate cells, suggesting B16 was susceptible to an immune response but unable to induce it. However, evidence for the immunogenicity of B16 tumour in vivo was shown in two ways--(i) by immunization with irradiated B16 before lethal tumour challenge, and (ii) by demonstration of specific immunity in BALB/c mice which survived a low dose of viable B16 tumour. The resistance of most B10.D2 mice to doses of B16 tumour which were lethal to..