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Expression of metastatic potential of tumor cells in young nude mice is correlated with low levels of natural killer cell‐mediated cytotoxicity
Author(s) -
Hanbil
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/ijc.2910260521
Subject(s) - metastasis , nude mouse , natural killer cell , cancer research , medicine , cell , ratón , immunology , cell culture , pathology , cytotoxicity , biology , cancer , in vitro , biochemistry , genetics
Of 6‐ and 3‐week‐old nude mice given intravenous injections of murine tumor cells with well‐defined metastatic properties, only the 3‐week‐old mice developed lung tumor colonies in significant numbers. The quantitative differences in metastatic potential among tumor cell lines injected into syngeneic recipients were also maintained following intravenous injection into young nude mice. Successful metastasis in 3‐week‐old nude mice is correlated with the low levels of natural killer cell activity detected in these young recipients. Boosting of the natural killer cell activity of 3‐week‐old nude mice by the administration of bacterial adjuvants and interferon inducers significantly inhibited metastasis formation. The differences in metastasis development could not be attributed to differences in the initial arrest of tumor cells in the pulmonary vascular bed, but rather to a better survival of the arrested cells in the lungs of 3‐week‐old nude mice as compared with 6‐week‐old counterparts. We conclude that low levels of NK cell activity are associated with increased incidence of experimental metastasis.