The In Vitro and In Vivo Analysis of Mammalian Tumor Viruses. IV. Antibody Response and Tumor Induction with Polyoma Virus in Different Species2

Abstract

With hemagglutination inhibition as a test for the presence of antibodies, the antibody response curves, in relation to tumor induction, have been studied after inoculation of polyoma virus into newborn or 2-day-old animals. The study included: species susceptible to tumor induction with polyoma virus—hamsters, rats, and rabbits (mice had been studied previously); and species in which tumors have so far not been found—chickens, guinea pigs, and dogs. Of all the species studied, tumor-bearing mice had the highest antibody titers. The titers in tumor-bearing hamsters were always lower than in tumor-bearing mice. In rats the highest titers were obtained after intracerebral inoculation. This route of inoculation induced osteochondrosarcomas in the skull and kidney sarcomas in 100 percent of the animals. Subcutaneous inoculation in rats induced kidney sarcomas in 36 percent of the animals, and generally lower antibody titers in animals with a tumor. In rabbits, antibody titers decreased when the tumors (fibromas) regressed. Of the three species in which tumors were not observed, chickens gave the highest and guinea pigs the lowest antibody titers. The data show a species difference both for tumor induction and for antibody response.