Association between MHC class I antigen expression and malignancy of murine T lymphoma variants

Tumor cell variants were derived from an AKR T-cell lymphoma cell line (BW5147, H-2k haplotype). These variants differed in their malignant potential and in their membrane expression of class I MHC antigens. High tumorigenic and spontaneous metastatic capacity was found to be predominantly associated with a decrease of H-2Kk class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigen expression. In contrast, high experimental metastatic capacity correlated strongly with an increased H-2Dk antigen expression. The in vitro invasive potential and the LFA-1 expression of the BW variants showed no correlation with the differential MHC antigen expression and the differential metastatic and tumorigenic capacity of the BW variants. Furthermore, the susceptibility of the BW 5147 variants to TNF and NK-mediated cytotoxicity was not related to the differential metastatic potential and the expression of the class I MHC antigens.