T-lymphocyte mediated tumor cell destructionin vivo associating with a specific feature of apoptosis

Abstract

The immunological responsiveness of the T-cell immunodificient NC nude mice tumor models was reconstructed by thymic transplantation of the semidominance NC mice. After immune reconstruction (IR) the tumor continued to grow until 2 to 3 weeks, then the volume of the tumor reduced gradually and disappeared at the 9th week. In both H901 and SW1116 solid tumor nodules was found by light microscopic study (IM), after IR, tumor cells gradually replaced by lymphocytes and fibroblasts, shrinked till only isolated cell groups, then totally disappeared. The whole processes like that the tumor cells were nibbled. It was found that the main tumor cell death related with a specific feature of apoptosis, which had typical dense chromatin distributed along the inner surface of the nuclear membrane by transmission electron microscopic study (TEM). The IR model could be useful for further mechanical research of immune system.