STUDIES ON VIRAL ONCOLYSIS

I. DESTRUCTION OF EHRLICH ASCITES TUMOR AND SARCOMA 180 BY A VIRUS ISOLATED FROM THE MOUSE

Abstract

While screening various substances for their antitumor activity, we experienced a very poor take of the Ehrlich ascites tumor in a group of mice which had respiratory infection. This experience interested us with regard to the possible role of a latent virus in affecting the take of the transplanted Ehrlich tumor. Subsequent attempts were made to isolate the virus from the mouse lung which was found to possess a high oncolytic activity against the Ehrlich ascites tumor. The oncolysis by this virus brought forth some points which will be reported here.
1. A strain of hemagglutination virus (ED) which was isolated from the mouse lung showed definite oncolysis of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells, when injected intraperitoneally.
2. Some quantitative aspects of the phenomenon were studied.
3. Though the ED virus invades the tumor cells, it does not multiply. It has an affinity for the lung but again there is no evidence of multiplication in the lung unless it is administered intranasally.
4. The ED virus also suppressed the growth of solid type of Ehrlich carcinoma to about half of the weight found in the control group.
5. Anticancer activity of the ED virus was manifested in case of sarcoma 180, but was not recognized in cases of Yoshida sarcoma, ascites hepatoma No. 130 and No. 602 under the experimental conditions mentioned above.