Immunologic Induction of Malignant Lymphoma: Genetic Factors in the Graft-Versus-Host Model2

Abstract

The development of malignant lymphomas was studied in 47 different donor-recipient pairs undergoing a chronic graft-versus-host reaction, which was induced in F₁ hybrid mice by the injection of parental spleen cells. None of the H-2 compatible combinations developed lymphomas. The development of neoplasms in H-2 incompatible pairs was inhibited by maneuvers designed to diminish the immunologic response of the graft against the host. Whether lymphomas developed in a given donorrecipient pair appeared to depend on: a) a major antigenic (H-2) difference between donor and recipient; b) the inherent (genetic?) ability of the donor' s immunocytes to respond to the recipient' s antigens; and c) a factor in the recipient, which probably determines susceptibility to oncogenic viruses.