title: Selective radiation resistance of immunologically induced T cells as the basis for irradiation-induced T-cell-mediated regression of immunogenic tumor.
abstract: Sublethal, whole-body gamma-irradiation of immunocompetent, but not T cell deficient, mice bearing an established immunogenic tumor results in T-cell-mediated complete tumor regression and in long-term host survival. This striking T-cell-dependent immunotherapeutic action of irradiation was paradoxically associated with the destruction of over 90% of host T cells and with a state of severe immunodepression as evidenced by the inability of irradiated mice to reject a tumor allograft. Furthermore, whereas exposure to 500 rads caused regression of a syngeneic tumor implanted 6 days before irradiation, it caused enhanced growth of a different syngeneic tumor growing on the same animal and implanted 1 day before. This ability of irradiation to cause regression of a 6 day tumor, but accelerated growth of a 1 day tumor, was also seen when the tumors were implanted in the reverse order. This means that, between days 1 and 6 of a tumor growth, tumor-specific T cells are converted from a radiosensitive to a highly radioresistant state, almost certainly because of having been activated and inducted into the antitumor immune response. This explanation for the selective radioresistance of effector T cells is based on publications showing that activated, in contrast to resting, T cells are highly radioresistant. Thus irradiation-induced, T-cell-mediated tumor regression depends not only on the destruction of radiosensitive suppressor T cells but also on the selective sparing of radioresistant activated effector T cells that are needed to destroy the tumor in the absence of suppression.
authors.affiliation: Trudeau Institute Inc., Saranac Lake, NY 12983.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: North
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000276:immunology; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D005260:Female; D005354:Fibrosarcoma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005720:Gamma Rays / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007167:Immunotherapy; D008212:Lymphocyte Depletion; D051379:Mice; D011836:Radiation Tolerance / Q000276:immunology*; D012074:Remission Induction; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000528:radiation effects; D013934:Thymectomy
chemical_list: D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D016827:CD8 Antigens