title: Effect of BCG upon functional and phenotypic immune markers in rats bearing the Dunning R3327 MAT-LyLu prostatic adenocarcinoma.
abstract: Rats bearing (or not bearing) the Dunning R3327 MAT-LyLu prostatic adenocarcinoma were treated with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and evaluated for immune competence using functional and phenotypic markers. Tumor presence significantly depressed total T and helper T cell representation along with the helper/suppressor T cell ratio. Functional immunity, measured by phytohemmagglutinin (PHA) induced blastogenesis, was also significantly depressed. When BCG was administered to non-tumor bearing animals, it had no effect upon T cell subset distributions but significantly reduced PHA induced blastogenesis. BCG similarly administered to tumor bearing animals did not alter the depressed helper/suppressor T cell ratio found in tumor bearing rats, but did significantly elevate PHA induced blastogenesis. However, these elevated levels of functional immunity in BCG treated tumor-bearing rats remained significantly below normal. These data demonstrate a poor correlation between functional and phenotypic assessments of immune capability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Rush Presbyterian St. Lukes Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois 60612.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubenstein
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubin
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: McKiel
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Guinan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001500:BCG Vaccine