Degradation of cell-bound antibodies by tumor cells from C57BL/6 mice

A kinetic study of the disappearance of sensitizing antibody from metabolizing EL 4 cells in C57BL/6 mice revealed that this disappearance was at least partly due to the degradation of the antibody into dialyzable products. The degradation took place at 37 degrees C, but not at 4 degrees C, and occurred on or inside the cell. The process was specific inasmuch as only those IgG molecules that could bind to the cells were degraded, whereas unrelated third-party antibodies present in the culture medium remained intact. Although nonmalignant cells also have the capacity to degrade cell-bound antibodies, possibly the degradation of proteinaceous structures on antitumor effector mechanisms is, in part, responsible for decreased antitumor immunity.