Correlation of tumor specific delayed type hypersensitivity reaction and tumor protection to SV40-induced mKSA fibrosarcoma

Mice immunized by excision of a primary, subcutaneously growing SV40-induced mKSA solid tumor which resisted challenge of homologous tumor cells administered at a contralateral site, were found to develop a specific DTH response to SV40 tumor associated transplantation antigens (TATA). In a two-way criss-cross experiment, this DTH response (assessed by direct challenge) was found to be one-way SV40 specific in that chemically induced, non SV40, MCA tumor failed to elicit a DTH response in mice primed by excision of mKSA tumor. These mice also showed a corresponding one-way specific protection against challenge with live homologous mKSA sarcoma cells. In contrast immunization and challenge of MCA-excised mice with either MCA or mKSA tumor cells, exhibited cross-reactivity in both DTH response and protection against either tumor. Unlike this cross-immunity by the direct challenge method, transfer of "immune" spleen cells from mKSA or MCA excision-primed mice demonstrated a specific DTH response and protection to the original immunizing, homologous but not heterologous tumor. Tumor resistant, DTH-primed mice remained DTH reactive to the primary tumor cells over a period of 4 weeks. Characterization of the splenic T-DTH cells in mice primed by excision of mKSA tumor, indicated a Lyt 1+2+ phenotype of cells conferring both the DTH response and the immune protection against mKSA sarcoma in a local (Winn) adoptive transfer assay, thus reinforcing the correlation between the DTH response and the antitumor protection.