Response of Spontaneous Lymphoid Leukemias in Mice to Injection of Adrenal Cortical Extracts.

Abstract

Injns. of adrenal cortical extract (lipoadrenal cortex, administered 0.1 ml. intraperitoneally every 24 hrs.) into mice of the inbred C58 and RIL strains in terminal stages of lymphoid leukemia, resulted in the following responses: a) an acute response resulting in a decrease of circulating leukocytes, a lymphopenia with a corresponding absolute polymorphonuclear leukocytes and a decrease in the number of circulating immature lymphocytes. Following daily injns., these blood alterations become pronounced; b) regression of infiltrated thymuses, spleen, and subcutaneous lymph nodes; c) extensive degenerative changes in immature lymphocytes in the thymus and lymph nodes resulting in pyknosis, dissolution and depletion of these cells. Similar but not so extensive changes were ob-served in infiltrated spleens.