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A mouse model for immunotherapy of osteosarcoma

II. Corynebacterium parvum therapy

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Summary

Corynebacterium parvum therapy of pulmonary micrometastases after amputation of the primary tumour has been studied in the Dunn osteosarcoma tumour of C3H/HeJ mice. Adjuvant antimetastatic C. parvum is efficacious in both intact and T cell-deficient mice. Repeated small doses of C. parvum have been shown to be as effective as or more effective than large single doses, and this finding was confirmed in two other metastasizing tumour models: the B16 melanoma and Lewis lung carcinoma. Commencing C. parvum preoperatively produces a greater reduction in weight of pulmonary metastases than postoperative therapy, although both are effective. C. parvum can reduce the enhanced growth of lung metastases produced by amputation of the primary tumour. The most effective route of administration was intravenous, followed by intraperitoneal therapy; and subcutaneous administration had no effect. Where measured, spleen weights correlated well with the therapeutic efficacy of the particular C. parvum regimen. As a result of these experiments showing effective use of C. parvum in doses that could be administered to man, certain implications for human immunotherapy are discussed.

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  1. Immunology Unit Medical School, University of Sydney, 2006, New South Wales, Australia

    P. Gatenby & A. Basten

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  1. P. Gatenby
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  2. A. Basten
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Gatenby, P., Basten, A. A mouse model for immunotherapy of osteosarcoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 8, 103–111 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00205659

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00205659

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