Low levels of anti-viral activity, mainly interferon-alpha/beta (IFN-alpha/beta), are regularly found in lymphoid tissues of BALB/c mice infected with the C3H strain of mammary tumor virus. At the time of tumor development, significant amounts of anti-viral activity were detected in homogenates of spleen and mammary tumors, but not in blood and normal mammary glands. This activity is pH2-resistant and neutralized by antibody to IFN/alpha-beta. The pathogenetic role of IFN in mammary carcinogenesis was investigated in 2 ways: (a) by treating virus-infected newborn mice with antibody to IFN-alpha/beta, and (b) by giving either the latter antibody or IFN-alpha/beta to virus-free animals transplanted with pre-neoplastic lesions. Mice were treated only for 2 months, starting either 1 week after birth or immediately after tumor transplant. In case (a), treatment with antibody to IFN-alpha/beta shortened the incubation period of mammary carcinomas and decreased the mean survival time. In case (b), anti-IFN antibody did not significantly affect the development of mammary tumors. However, exogenous-IFN-alpha/beta markedly reduced both tumor incidence and mortality rate. These results indicate that endogenous-IFN-alpha/beta plays a crucial role.in the in vivo restriction of the early infectious phase of spontaneous carcinogenesis and that relatively high doses of IFN-alpha/beta may inhibit the progression of pre-neoplastic lesions.
INTERFERON-ALPHA BETA IN VIRUS-INDUCED MOUSE MAMMARY CARCINOGENESIS - EFFECTS ON THE SPONTANEOUS PROCESS AND ON THE PROGRESSION OF TRANSPLANTED PRENEOPLASTIC LESIONS
BASOLO, FULVIO;FONTANINI, GABRIELLA;
1992-01-01
Abstract
Low levels of anti-viral activity, mainly interferon-alpha/beta (IFN-alpha/beta), are regularly found in lymphoid tissues of BALB/c mice infected with the C3H strain of mammary tumor virus. At the time of tumor development, significant amounts of anti-viral activity were detected in homogenates of spleen and mammary tumors, but not in blood and normal mammary glands. This activity is pH2-resistant and neutralized by antibody to IFN/alpha-beta. The pathogenetic role of IFN in mammary carcinogenesis was investigated in 2 ways: (a) by treating virus-infected newborn mice with antibody to IFN-alpha/beta, and (b) by giving either the latter antibody or IFN-alpha/beta to virus-free animals transplanted with pre-neoplastic lesions. Mice were treated only for 2 months, starting either 1 week after birth or immediately after tumor transplant. In case (a), treatment with antibody to IFN-alpha/beta shortened the incubation period of mammary carcinomas and decreased the mean survival time. In case (b), anti-IFN antibody did not significantly affect the development of mammary tumors. However, exogenous-IFN-alpha/beta markedly reduced both tumor incidence and mortality rate. These results indicate that endogenous-IFN-alpha/beta plays a crucial role.in the in vivo restriction of the early infectious phase of spontaneous carcinogenesis and that relatively high doses of IFN-alpha/beta may inhibit the progression of pre-neoplastic lesions.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
