title: Tumor size, leukocyte adherence inhibition and serum levels of tumor antigen in dogs with the canine transmissible venereal sarcoma.
abstract: Tumor antigen (TA) associated with the canine transmissible venereal sarcoma (CTVS) was detected in the sera of dogs bearing the tumor. Rabbit antisera specific for tumor antigen and 3 M KCl extracts of CTVS cells were used in both a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and antigen-capture ELISA to quantify levels of circulating TA. In a study of 29 dogs bearing the transplanted CTVS, levels of circulating TA correlated positively with tumor volume. In a longitudinal study of four dogs receiving a transplant of 10(8) viable CTVS cells, circulating CTVS antigen was detected transiently 2 days after transplantation, while persistent levels of TA associated with increasing tumor volume were demonstrable 19-34 days after transplantation. In three of four tumor-bearing dogs, levels of serum TA correlated inversely with values obtained with peripheral blood leukocytes in the leukocyte adherence inhibition (LAI) assay; elevated levels of circulating TA found in dogs with large (greater than 7 cm3) tumors were associated with decreased LAI reactivity of peripheral blood leukocytes. TA could not be detected in sera 48-72 h after surgical removal of CTVS whereas LAI reactivity of peripheral blood leukocytes to CTVS antigen rebounded 1-3 weeks following tumor excision. Results of this study support the use of the competitive ELISA and LAI techniques in assessing levels of circulating tumor antigen, tumor burden and tumor-specific immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology, University of Connecticut, Storrs 06269-3089.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Palker
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Harding
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis*; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007957:Leukocyte Adherence Inhibition Test; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D012509:Sarcoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000662:veterinary*; D014685:Venereal Tumors, Veterinary / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm