Splenocytes from tumor-bearing Corynebacterium parvum treated mice maintain interleukin-2 and -3 activity.

Systemic and local administration of the bacterium Corynebacterium parvum (more accurately known as Propionibacterium acnes) is reported to exert antitumor action via activated macrophages or short-lived cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), respectively. This study examined the effect of C. parvum treatment on resulting in vitro interleukin levels, which are components in the sequence of events leading to the development of effective CTL. C. parvum administration prevented palpable fibrosarcoma development. This was concomitant with restoration and maintenance of normal interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) levels and prevention of suppressor cell development in mice injected with both tumor cells and vaccine. Our finding of C. parvum-induced maintenance of IL-2 and IL-3 levels and apparent lack of suppressor cell formation lends support to the idea of local C. parvum antitumor action possibly being mediated by CTL arising via the interleukin cascade.