Incidence, Growth and Antigenicity of Fibrosarcomas Induced by Teflon Disc in Mice

Abstract

Subcutaneous sarcomas were induced in BALB/c, C3Hf Dp, and C57BL/He female mice by implantation of a Teflon disc or by injection of 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA). The incidence of DMBA tumors was homogeneously high (60–86 %) in the 3 strains, and the latency varied from 16 to 26 weeks from treatment. Teflon-induced tumors developed, in the BALB/c, C3Hf/Dp, C57BL/He mice, in 44, 94, and 30 %, with a mean latency of 78, 61, and 82 weeks respectively. Evaluation of the growing capacity of 4 DMBA-induced and 14 Teflon-induced fibrosarcomas at the first and second transplant passage showed that Teflon tumors grew faster and needed a smaller cell dose to take than the DMBA tumors. Transplantation type antigens were detected only on the chemically induced tumors. Cross-reacting antigens were detected on 3 of the 5 Teflon-induced tumors by an in vitro assay for cell-mediated cytotoxicity.