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Specific Lysis of Human Colon Tumor Cells by Antibodies to CEA and Isoantigen A: Dependence on Rabbit Serum or Neuraminidase¹

Center for Zoonoses and Comparative Medicine, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, Illinois 61801, and the Department of Pathology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The ⁵¹Cr cytotoxicity test was used to measure specific antibody reactions against carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and isoantigen A on the surface of human colon tumor cells. When human serum or guinea pig serum was used as a source of complement, no anti-CEA or anti-isoantigen A cytotoxicity was demonstrable despite binding of specific antibodies and activation of complement at least through the C₃ component on the cell surface. In contrast, specific anti-CEA and anti-isoantigen A cytotoxicity was demonstrated when rabbit serum was used as a source of complement. Specific antibody-mediated cell lysis was also achieved with guinea pig complement if the cells were treated with neuraminidase before testing. These results support the concept that certain tumor cells have surface properties that render them resistant to immune lysis.

Footnotes

¹ This work was supported by a grant from the National Cancer Institute of Canada.

² Center for Zoonoses and Comparative Medicine, University of Illinois, College of Veterinary Medicine, Urbana, Illinois 61801.

³ Department of Pathology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.