Cellular immunity to bovine myelin basic protein in rats bearing malignant fibrous histiocytoma

T lymphocytes from rats with malignant fibrous histiocytoma at different stages of tumor growth were investigated for sensitization to bovine myelin basic protein (MBP). The immunological reactivity was assessed by a leukocyte adherence inhibition assay as an in vitro correlate of cellular immunity. We found that only T lymphocytes obtained 4 and 6 days after tumor transplantation are reactive to MBP (1-2 micrograms/ml). Since the sequence of the antigenic determinants from MBP is known, our findings may make it possible to select synthetic epitopes for generating cytotoxic T lymphocytes to these tumor cells.