Lymphocyte Blast Formation in Rats with DAB-Induced Hepatic Carcinoma

Abstract

Lymphocytes derived from rats bearing DAB-induced hepatic carcinoma at progressive stages (micro- and macroscopically) were stimulated by three mitogens: PHA, Con A and PWM. A remarkable increase in ³H-thymidine uptake was found over the period from the stage proceeding the appearance of carcinoma to the early stage of carcinogenesis, while a remarkable decrease of ³H-thymidine uptake was revealed in lymphocytes of advanced tumor-bearing rats. This result is very remarkble, for it questions the generally believed assumption that immune ability decreases from the early stage of carcinogenesis.