Antigenic Specificity of Hepatomas Induced in Strain-2 Guinea Pigs by Diethylnitrosamine

Abstract

The antigenic specificity of six hepatomas, each induced in a different strain-2 guinea pig by diethylnitrosamine, was studied. Five of six transplantable hepatomas were shown to be antigenic by their ability to induce delayed skin reactions or suppression of tumor growth. Two of these five tumor lines (1 and 8) shared common antigens; the other three initially lacked these antigens and were individually specific. After a number of transplant generations, two of the antigenically specific tumor lines acquired antigens common with line 1. The antigenicity of a chemically induced hepatoma (line 1) and a viral-induced leukemia was compared. Line 1 did not share antigens with this strain-2 leukemia.