Intratumoral induction of tumour necrosis factor by systemic administration of Bordetella pertussis vaccine.

Intratumoral induction of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) by administration of Bordetella pertussis vaccine (BPV) as compared with that by the agent OK-432 was investigated in mice. Two hours after such administration tumour tissues tested were resected from the mice, homogenised, and the TNF activities in the homogenate were assayed using a L-929 fibroblast assay. Intravenous injection of BPV into mice bearing the MM46 carcinoma resulted in a greater concentration of TNF in the tumour homogenate than in the serum. With OK-432, however, there was a greater concentration of TNF in the serum than in the tumour homogenates. A high level of intratumoral TNF induction by BPV was also observed in mice bearing Meth A fibrosarcoma or Lewis lung carcinoma. The therapeutic effect against the Meth A fibrosarcoma was in parallel with the intratumoral TNF activity. Intratumoral TNF activity is therefore believed to be a good index of therapeutic effect.