Growth inhibition of a B cell leukemia: Evidence implicating an anti-idiotype immune response for protective tumor immunity

R. P. Ciavarra, E. S. Vivetta, J. Forman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

11 Scopus citations

Abstract

BCL1, a spontaneous surface IgM (μλ)-positive (sIgM+) B cell leukemia of BALB/c (Igha) origin rarely grows in the Ig heavy chain (Igh) congenic mouse C.B-20 (Ighb) but is highly metastatic and lethal in the host strain of origin. Previous studies indicated that BCL1 tumor immunity in C.B-20 mice was associated with a T cell-mediated immune response against H-40, a minor histocompatibility (H) antigen controlled by a gene linked to the Igh locus. However, we observed that BCL1 leukemia grew progressively in BAB-14 (Igh(a/b)) mice, a strain capable of generating an anti-H-40 immune response. This suggested that anti-H-40 immunity was insufficient for protection and implied that an Igh-V (variable) region gene product was also important for GCL1 growth inhibition. We therefore evaluated the role of two possible Igh-V region-linked gene products in BCL1 growth inhibition; namely, an Igh-V region-linked minor H antigen or alternatively the BCL1 IgM idiotype (Id). We could find no evidence for an Igh-V region-linked minor H antigen because immunosuppressed (500 R) CB-20 mice reconstituted with C.B-20 anti-BAB-14 splenocytes were susceptible to BCL1 growth, whereas recipients reconstituted with C.B-20 anti-BALB/c splenocytes were resistant to BCL1 challenge. In contrast, C.B-20 mice immunized against purified BCL1 IgM protein could adoptively confer BCL1 tumor immunity. C.B-20 mice immunized against other BALB/c IgM myeloma proteins containing either λ or κ light chains failed to protect C.B.-20 mice suggesting that recognition of a unique determinant (Id) and not an allotype was crucial for tumor immunity. The BCL1 μ-chain appeared to make the major contribution to the idiotypic determinant because a hybridoma product composed of BCL1 μ-chains and BALB/c κ-chains still elicited BCL1 immunity. Adoptive transfer of C.B-20 anti-BCL1 Id splenocytes into irradiated recipients that prevented an anti-H-40 response due to H-40 tissue expression failed to adoptively confer BCL1 immunity. Thus, these data suggest that BCL1 growth inhibition requires a T cell-mediated response against both H-40 and the BCL1 Id; these responses must be elicited concurrently in the tumor-bearing host to achieve protective BCL1 immunity.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1371-1375
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Immunology
Volume137
Issue number4
StatePublished - 1986

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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