Immunosuppression induced by "toxohormone" from mouse tumor cells in culture.

Tumor culture toxohormone (TCT) obtained from cultures of MBQA mouse tumor cells, a line derived from a methylcholanthrene-induced fibrosarcoma (CBA/J origin), suppressed the mitogenic responsiveness of mouse spleen cells (PHA, LPS) as well as the antibody formation to SRBC in vitro. The immunosuppressive activity of toxohormone was readily inactivated by heating at 100 degrees C or treatment with trypsin, but not by DNase and RNase treatment.