Modification of immunological potential by ultraviolet radiation. I. Immune status of short-term UV-irradiated mice.

C3Hf/HeN mice support the progressive growth of most transplanted syngeneic ultraviolet (UV) light-induced tumors following short-term UV exposure whereas nonexposed mice reject these tumors. Because an immunosuppressive role in UV-mediated tumor susceptibility might be suggested by these observations, a comparison of several immunological parameters has been conducted. These include antibody production, proliferation in response to antigenic and mitogenic stimulation, and the generation of cytotoxic effector cells by normal or short-term UV-exposed mice. The results indicate that short-term UV irradiation of mice does not result in any readily detectable alterations of the host's immune system other than the consistent loss of the antitumor response mediating rejection of the transplanted UV-induced tumor.