Gamma-globulin modulates growth of EBV-derived B-cell tumors in SCID mice reconstituted with human lymphocytes

• Published in: International journal of cancer Vol. 55; no. 5; p. 824
• Main Authors: Abedi, M R, Christensson, B, al-Masud, S, Hammarström, L, Smith, C I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 11-11-1993
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Division; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; gamma-Globulins - administration & dosage; gamma-Globulins - pharmacology; Herpesvirus 4, Human; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Interleukin-6 - metabolism; Lymphocytes - microbiology; Lymphocytes - pathology; Lymphoma, B-Cell - microbiology; Lymphoma, B-Cell - pathology; Mice; Mice, SCID; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0020-7136
• DOI: 10.1002/ijc.2910550522

The effect of weekly gamma-globulin injection on the development of human B-cell tumors was studied in 120 mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). The mice were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 6 different Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-seropositive donors. Animals repopulated with cells from 5 donors received gamma-globulin or saline for 20 weeks and were followed up to 24 weeks after reconstitution. A delay in the appearance of fata EBV-derived human B-cell tumors was noticed in the gamma-globulin-treated groups as compared to the controls. In a separate experiment, the effect of gamma-globulin treatment during the initial 4 weeks after reconstitution was compared to treatment from week 5 to week 8 as well as to a continuous 20-week treatment. The results from this experiment showed that B-cell tumor growth could be prevented just as efficiently when the animals were treated only during the first 4 weeks. In contrast, no preventive effect was seen when the first gamma-globulin dose was given at the beginning of week 5 after reconstitution. Our results indicate that gamma-globulin reduces the frequency of EBV-derived B-cell tumor development and suggest that SCID mice repopulated with human cells represent a useful in vivo model for evaluation of the prophylactic and/or therapeutic effects of immunomodulatory treatments in lympho-proliferative disorders associated with immunosuppression.