Rejection of ascites tumor allografts. II. A pathway for cell-mediated tumor destruction in vitro by peritoneal exudate lymphoid cells.

A pathway for cell-mediated tumor destruction in vitro by immune peritoneal exudate lymphoid cells has been proposed. The union of lymphocytes and tumor cells precedes the formation of an intermediate phase leading to lysis. The initial interaction is only partially temperature dependent. The cytolytic process per se is highly temperature dependent, being negligible at 25 degrees C but proceeding rapidly at 37 degrees C. (51)Cr release from tumor cells is demonstrable within 10 min at 37 degrees C and can be reversibly arrested by cooling. Once initiated, lysis is largely independent of additional interactions and continues at almost full rate for 30 min. The effector cells are not lysed and appear to be free to enter into further effector cycles.