title: Immune reactivity in cattle with ocular squamous cell carcinoma after intralesional BCG immunotherapy.
abstract: Lymphocyte stimulation with Con A and specific immune reactivity to BCG (antibody formation to BCG and DTH reaction to PPD) were determined in BCG-treated, surgically treated and untreated cows with ocular squamous cell carcinoma. In tumor-bearing cows the Con A-induced proliferation of lymphocytes was reduced when compared to healthy controls. This suppression consisted of a reduced blastogenic response to Con A of lymphocytes from tumor-bearing cows, and the presence of a factor in the sera of these animals, as these sera suppressed the blastogenic response of lymphocytes from healthy cows. BCG had only a minor influence on the suppressive activity. Antibodies to BCG were demonstrated in 50% of the BCG-treated animals. The formation of antibodies was not influenced by intradermal injection of PPD of Mycobacterium bovis. Absorption of a BCG antibody containing serum with BOSCC tumor extracts did not reveal the existence of cross reacting antigens between BCG and BOSCC. Pretherapeutic and posttherapeutic Con A reactivity could not be correlated with clinical response. Of the 30 BCG treated cows 29 developed a positive DTH reaction to PPD. Correlation between clinical response and immune reactivity was seen only with regard to the DTH reaction to PPD: this reaction remained positive for a longer period after treatment in animals with a favorable clinical outcome than in nonresponding animals.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000096:biosynthesis; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005134:Eye Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000662:veterinary; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic / Q000032:analysis; D014373:Tuberculin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D013491:Suppressor Factors, Immunologic; D014373:Tuberculin; D003208:Concanavalin A