Post-Transplantation Development of Malignant Lymphoma, an Experimental Model: Syngeneic Lymph Node Transplants

Abstract

Previously, malignant lymphomas in mice have been found to be the late sequelae of the autologous transplantation of skin grafts pretreated with CO(2); these did not occur with grafts cultured in air alone. The clinical result in this autologous system reflects environmental differences in vitro (Goldsmith & Narvaez 1975). In the present study the syngeneic transplantation in BALB/c mice of lymph node tissue resulted in the late appearance of malignant lymphomas (48-69%), irrespective of the pretransplantation treatment of the grafts. Lymph node grafts were exposed to three different environments before transplantation into syngeneic hosts: (1) to culture in air (24 hours); (2) to culture in an atmosphere of 45% CO(2) in air (24 hours); (3) direct transplantation without in vitro exposure. Transplantation of these three groups of differently treated grafts was followed by the same clinical results in their recipients. These were: (1) The development of lymphoma whereas the spontaneous incidence was zero. (2) The proliferation of T-lymphocytes in the spleen; the incidence of this abnormality correlates with the lymphoma incidence. (3) A higher than normal occurence of immune-associated lesions (amyloidosis, interstitial nephritis and myocarditis). Both syngeneic and autologous transplantations may serve as animal models for the study of clinical malignant lymphoma.

Lymph Node Transplantation and Its Immunological Significance in Animal Models

“…This technique has been used in rats [15, 19, 24, 28, 29, 32], mice [11–13, 26, 27, 29–31, 34], rabbits [25], pigs [17, 18, 20, 33], sheep [14], dogs [21] and for clinical applications also in humans [35, 36]. There has also been transplantation between different species, for example, human LNs were transplanted into immune-suppressed mice [22–24].…”

“…Four weeks after transplantation, the compartment structure and the blood and lymph supply were analyzed. However, all these variations produced no differences in LN behavior [23, 34]. …”