Growth of human cell lines in BALB/c mice

A method of immunodepletion that allows the growth of xenogeneic cell lines in mice is described. Treatment of adult BALB/c mice with sublethal irradiation (400 total body rads) and CD4+ lymphocyte depletion renders them tolerant to the growth of human lymphocytic (CEM), monocytic (U937), and epithelial (HEp-2) cell lines. The system has also been used to generate ascites from rat hybridomas. The methodology is technically easy, inexpensive, and expedient and should have multiple uses in biomedical research including mouse modeling of human viral infections and investigation of transplant rejection.