An athymic nude mutation in the rat

Metastasis in the nude rat associated with lack of immune response

“…Although this effect can be reversed by reconstitution of the T-deprived animals with lymphoid cells before tumour implantation (Eccles, 1978), the possibility remains that surgical stress and irradiation may interfere with other aspects of the animal's physiology and contribute to the increased development of metastases. The reappearance of the mutant nude Rowett rat which is congenitally athymic (Festing et al, 1978) has provided an ideal system in which to evaluate the role of T cells without recourse to stressful immunosuppressive procedures. In this communication we describe our initial observations on the growth, metastatic behaviour, hostcell infiltration of, and antibody responses to a Hooded rat fibrosarcoma in normal and athymic animals.…”

Antibody response of nude (RNU/RNU) and hairy (RNU/+) rats to circulating cell surface components from human pancreatic cancer xenografts

“…In this group of animals the levels of circulating cell surface antibody in the 6 weeks following implantation did not appear to determine whether tumour xenograft growth would progress successfully or not, and the antibody response developed despite the abnormalities of the T-cell system (Festing et al, 1978 andBrooks et al, 1980). Such independence of the presence of antibody is similar to the progression of murine leukaemias bearing TL+ antigens in TL-mice (Old, 1981).…”

“…Such components could be in the form of persisting immune complexes although these animals have an apparently effective phagocytic system which would be expected to remove such complexes rapidly (Festing et al, 1978). An alternative explanation is that strongly recognised antigens are complexed and eliminated and that the cell surface components which persist in the circulation are predominantly those bearing determinants which are recognised weakly or not at all by the B-cell system of the immunodeficient host (rnu/rnu).…”

CHARACTERIZATION OF THE NUDE RAT (rnunz). Functional Characteristics

“…These observations have suggested that the rnu"^ is similar in many ways to the nude mouse and to the counterpart nude rat (rnu) first noted in the Rowett Institute, Blackburn, Aberdeen, Scotland (Festing et al, 1978). In some of the rnu"^ animals, however, small numbers of morphologically identifiable T lymphocytes were found, suggesting that some individual animals might possess a limited number of functional T cells.…”