Hyporesponsiveness of SPRET/Ei mice to lethal shock induced by tumor necrosis factor and implications for a TNF-based antitumor therapy.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a central mediator in lethal shock and an interesting cytokine for anticancer therapy. To inhibit TNF-induced lethal shock, it is important to identify protective genes. Here we demonstrate that the SPRET/Ei mouse strain, derived from Mus spretus, exhibits an extremely dominant resistance to TNF-induced lethal inflammation. An interspecific backcross experiment revealed that the TNF hyporesponse is linked to loci on chromosomes 2, 6, and 11. Treatment of inoculated tumors with TNF and IFN-gamma leads to regression and a highly reduced toxicity in (C57BL/6 x SPRET/Ei)F(1) mice.