The effect of living haemolytic streptocoocci on ascites sarcoma 37 and krebs 2 carcinoma cells

70 Abstracts of Papers 224 Steroids and Tumour Growth in Wound Tissue. M. R. \VILLIAMSON and H. H. HALEY (U.S..~.). It has been noted that when certain heterologous tumours (H.Ad.1 and H.Ep.3) were transplanted into adult female rats about 20 per cent of the growing tumours which were implanted into wounds wpre surrounded by a connective-tissue envelope. This reaction did not occur when the tumours were implanted into normal unwounded rats. Experi- ments were undertaken to attempt to increase the percentage of connective-tissue reactions. Since various steroid hormones are known to an‘ect pro- tein metabolism, especially during the hraling of wx)undq, the effect of such stances on the tumour transplants was studied. Fourteen days after implantation of tumour-cell suspensions, the tumours in the control animals were somewhat larger than those implanted in wounds. Significant diffcr- c~~cc\ did not occur in all expcrimmts. TVhcn 226 corti\one or testosterone propionate was admini- str‘r~tl. the tumours were significantly largrr in the control than in the woundrd rats. That this was a local reaction was indicated by the fact that when tumour tissue was implanted away liom the wound arca in abounded rats the tumour prcw to about the \amt. &c a? in un\vounded control rats. The effect of Nilrvar ( 17-hydroxy- 19 nor- 17x-prrgn-4-en-3- one ), a non-androgenic anabolic steroid, \vas studied in xvoundrd rats. It was found that the tumour growth xvas significantly greater when Nilevar was given to wounded rats than when the rats rec&ed none. 225 The Action of Cortisone in Promoting Hetero- takes part in the transmission of impulses which are responsible for the central control of the metabolism in striated muscles. logous Tumour Growth. G. :2. H. &:TTLL and IL AI. KOVACS (United Kingdom). It has already been shown by Toolan and Handler that cortisone will promote the growth of certain human turnours transplanted in weanling rats and other animal hosts. Cortisone trt’atment will also promotr the gro\vth of methylcholanthrene-induced rat tumours transplanted into weanling rats. These tumonrs regress whrn the cortisone treatment ceases. It SCC~S probable that the cortisone is suppressing a rcactiun between an antigen in the tumour and the Iymphoid tissue or antibody producing system of the hOS;l. .\n investigation has been made as to the nature r~f this antigen in the tumour tissue. Groups of wcaniing rats were injected with either suspensions of normal human tissue or with suspensions of human tumours a week before challenge with the transplantable tumour of human origin (HSI) and treatment with cortisone. The antigenic potency of these tissues in producing antibodirs against the tumour growth has thus been compared. It has been found that the transplantable tumour HSI is the best antigen and that it is equalled in potency b) some fast growing tumours removed from patients, notably melanotic sarcomata and sarcomata of bone; embryonic human spleen is just as eflicient as tumour tissue, and embryonic human muscle is slightly less potent. Weanling rats injected with suspensions of these tissues are completely or partially resistant to subsequent tumour implantation. Slower growing tumours like carcinomata or the stomach and breast, on the other hand, are ineffcc- tive as antigens and the subsequent HSl tumour implants grow well. Muscle from adult patients is less effective as an antigen than embryonic musclr. In the case of other tissues, human red cells have a very slight effect, but plasma and whitr cells arc ineffective. The experiments indicate that the antigen in the transplantable human tumour HS 1, the rcsponsc 11) which is suppressed by cortisone, is similar to anti- gens found in fa$t growing human turnours and also in human embryonic tissue. The Effect of Living Haemolytic Streptococci on Ascites Sarcoma 37 and Krebs 2 Carcin- oma Cells. H. F. HAVAS and J. .J. FREI:I) (U.S.A.). In previous studies toxins fiiom Streptococcus /go- yene.r and Serratia marcescens wrre found to cause regression of well established transplanted mouse turnours. Streptococcal prrparations enhanced the oncolytic efYect of Serratia preparations and ~OVYWCI their toxicity but wcrc lrss effective when used alone. Exprriments \vere therefore under- taken to establish if living streptococci could destroy the neoplastic ccllb. The etl’ects produced by S. flyo~ene., strains wwc compared with the activity of LS. n~cescen~, &r&a luten and ,Stre,btococcus f&c& by in Z’WO and irr zjz!ro studies. The resting bacterial ccl1 susprnsions wcrc incubated f6r 14 hr with ascitrs Sarcoma 37 and Krebs 2 carcinoma ~11s. These suspensions \vcre then treated with anti- biotics and injected into groups of 50 ICR Swiss mice totalling 2400. Three out of 8 streptococcal strains wcrc highly eflixtive against the tumour cells (O-30 I_“’ cent takes with treated tumour cells; 10 per cc‘nt takes in the controls). S’urcina L&a, T marrescens and S. jnecalir werr only partially L . effective. Data on weight changes, tumour sizes and takes, and survival rates will be presented. The absence of immunity in animals having previously received streptococci treated tumour ~11s indicated that exposure of these cells to htrcptococri altered their antigenic configuration. The effects of the bacteria on tumour cells wrre studied at the cellular level with phase microscopy. The streptococci produced cytopathogenic effects such as blebbing, swelling and pynocytosis which soon led to the death of the tumour cells as recorded in a time lapse film.