Evaluation of antitumor activity of Bordetella pertussis in two murine tumor models

The antitumor activity of three preparations of killed Bordetella pertussis (Bp) (Eli Lilly crude and fluid pertussis vaccines and Parke-Davis pertussis vaccine) was studied in the B16 melanoma and CaD2 mammary adenocarcinoma models. In these tumor systems; Bp had weak and variable tumor inhibitory activity and did not augment tumor rejection immunity. The intratumor injection of Bp did not affect the growth of the B16 tumor but significantly inhibited the growth of the CaD2 tumor. However, the established tumor did not regress. Admixture of Bp with B16 cells before inoculation inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival of inoculated mice. Admixture of Bp with CaD2 cells completely suppressed tumor cell growth in 60% of inoculated mice. Intratumor injection of CaD2 with Bp combined with surgery provided no protection against subsequent development of metastases.