Marked granulocytosis in C57BL/6 mice bearing a transplanted BMT-11 fibrosarcoma

When a 3-methylcholanthrene (CAS: 56-49-5)-induced fibrosarcoma, BMT-11, and its eight clones were transplanted sc into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice, leukemoid reaction characterized by a progressive increase in peripheral white blood cells (WBCs) and by splenomegaly was observed as the tumors grew. The WBC count reached about forty-fold of the normal level, and more than 90% of WBCs were found to be polymorphonuclear leukocytes. The increase in WBCs was correlated with tumor size, and its count decreased to normal level within 7 days after surgical excision of subcutaneous tumors. Moreover, a high level of colony-stimulating activity was detected in the supernatant of BMT-11 culture. These results suggest that the colony-stimulating factor produced by BMT-11 cells caused granulocytosis in mice. This is the first report of the marked degree of granulocytosis induced by a transplanted tumor in C57BL/6 strain mice.