Spleen cells from BALB/c mice that are in the process of eradicating a large MOPC-315
tumor following low-dose
L-PAM therapy (
L-PAM TuB spleen cells) were previously shown to be capable of bringing about the complete regression of a large (15 to 20 mm) s.c. MOPC-315
tumor in a substantial percentage of T-cell-deficient (athymic nude) mice that had been treated with low-dose
L-PAM (adoptive chemo-
immunotherapy; ACIT). Here we show that aggressive depletion of CD4+T-cells by treatment both of spleen-cell donors and of recipients with anti-L3T4
monoclonal antibody (MAb) greatly improved the therapeutic effectiveness of
L-PAM TuB spleen cells in ACIT. In the light of the apparent importance of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) for
tumor eradication in low-dose
L-PAM-treated MOPC-315-tumor bearers, it is interesting that treatment of
L-PAM TuB spleen-cell donors with anti-L3T4 MAb was found to result in the generation of enhanced splenic anti-MOPC-315 cytotoxicity. Although most athymic nude mice in which the
tumor had apparently completely regressed following ACIT remained
tumor-free, approximately 1/3 of the mice relapsed. However, a substantial percentage of the relapsing mice were rescued by a low dose of
L-PAM, which was not effective in causing
tumor regression in athymic nude mice bearing a comparably large
tumor if the mice had not been subjected previously to ACIT. Almost all athymic nude mice that had been "cured" of a large MOPC-315
tumor by ACIT but did not resist a subsequent MOPC-315
tumor challenge were rescued by low dose
L-PAM. Thus, the therapeutic effectiveness of
L-PAM TuB spleen cells in ACIT may be improved by aggressive depletion of CD4+ T-cells, suggesting that a low dose of
L-PAM, which leads to the acquisition of potent splenic-
tumor-eradicating immunity in BALB/c mice bearing a large MOPC-315
tumor, does not eliminate completely (or possibly not at all) the inhibitory activity of CD4+ T-cells. In addition, athymic nude mice that are not endowed with fully protective
tumor-eradicating immunity following ACIT still have a substantial residual anti-
tumor immune potential that can be exploited to bring about eradication of a large
tumor burden following low-dose
L-PAM therapy.