Erythropoietin induces tumor regression and antitumor immune responses in murine myeloma models.

Recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEpo) has been used successfully in the treatment of cancer-related anemia. Clinical observations with several patients with multiple-myeloma treated with rHuEpo has shown, in addition to the improved quality of life, a longer survival than expected, considering the poor prognostic features of these patients. Based on these observations, we evaluated the potential biological effects of rHuEpo on the course of tumor progression by using murine myeloma models (MOPC-315-IgAlambda(2) and 5T33 MM-IgG(2b)). Here we report that daily treatment of MOPC-315 tumor-bearing mice with rHuEpo for several weeks induced complete tumor regression in 30-60% of mice. All regressors that were rechallenged with tumor cells rejected tumor growth, and this resistance was tumor specific. The Epo-triggered therapeutic effect was shown to be attributed to a T cell-mediated mechanism. Serum Ig analysis indicated a reduction in MOPC-315 lambda light chain in regressor mice. Intradermal inoculation of 5T33 MM tumor cells followed by Epo treatment induced tumor regression in 60% of mice. The common clinical manifestation of myeloma bone disease in patients with multiple-myeloma was established in these myeloma models. Epo administration to these tumor-bearing mice markedly prolonged their survival and reduced mortality. Therefore, erythropoietin seems to act as an antitumor therapeutic agent in addition to its red blood cell-stimulating activity.

Increased circulating colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1) in SJL/J mice with radiation-induced acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with autocrine regulation of AML cells by CSF-1.

The SJL/J mouse strain has a high spontaneous incidence of a B-cell neoplasm, reticulum cell neoplasm type B (RCN B). In addition, following irradiation, 10% to 30% of these mice develop acute myelomonocytic leukemia (radiation-induced acute myeloid leukemia [RI-AML]), an incidence that can be increased to 50% by treatment of the mice with corticosteroids after irradiation. The role played by the mononuclear phagocyte growth factor, colony-stimulating factor-1 (CSF-1), in the development of RI-AML in SJL/J mice was investigated. Mice dying of RI-AML, but not those dying of RCN B or without disease, possessed elevated concentrations of circulating CSF-1. In addition, in mice developing RI-AML with a more prolonged latency, circulating CSF-1 concentrations were increased before overt expression of RI-AML. First-passage tumors from 14 different RI-AMLs all contained high concentrations of CSF-1, and six of six different first- or second-passage tumors expressed the CSF-1 receptor (CSF-1 R). Furthermore, in vitro colony formation by first- or second-passage tumor cells from 20 of 20 different RI-AMLs was blocked by neutralizing anti-CSF-1 antibody, and four of four of these tumors were inhibited by anti-CSF-1R antibody. The results of these antibody neutralization studies, coupled with the observation of elevated circulating CSF-1 in mice developing RI-AML, show an autocrine role for CSF-1 in RI-AML development in SJL/J mice. Southern blot analysis of tumor DNA from six of six of these tumors failed to reveal any rearrangements in the genes for CSF-1 or the CSF-1R. Studies in humans have shown that patients with AML possess elevated levels of circulating CSF-1 and that AML cells can express CSF-1 and the CSF-1R. Thus, RI-AML in the SJL/J mouse appears to be a useful model for human AML.

A hematopoietic organ-specific 49-kD nuclear antigen: predominance in immature normal and tumor granulocytes and detection in hematopoietic precursor cells.

A 49-kD protein was specifically detected in hematopoietic organs by Western blotting with a novel mouse monoclonal antibody (B92) raised against stromal cells. The protein was found in the immunizing cells using a sensitive method. However, its detection in the bone marrow by the B92 antibody seemed to stem from the abundance of p49 in immature cells of the myeloid lineage. Study of the bone marrow following in vivo irradiation or 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) treatment, in vitro culture with differentiation-inducing factors and long-term culture, and cell sorting all pointed in the same direction: the protein was found in early myeloid cells and in hematopoietic precursor cells. These results were in accordance with the specific presence of p49 in primary radiation-induced myeloid leukemia and its absence in spontaneous B lymphoma. Immunofluorescent staining using B92 antibody detected a nuclear antigen forming a dotted pattern in early myeloid cells and day 12 colony-forming units-spleen (CFU-S). Nuclear localization of p49 was further demonstrated by subcellular fractionation followed by Western blotting. We thus identified a nuclear protein that within the hematopoietic population is detected in hematopoietic precursor cells, predominates in early myeloid cells, and is reduced following differentiation. These properties imply that p49 might be involved in the regulation of hematopoietic cell growth or differentiation.

The effects of passive anti-viral immunotherapy in AKR mice: II. Susceptibility to B cell lymphomagenesis.

Prevention of high frequency spontaneous T cell lymphoma development in AKR mice by mAb 18-5 treatment was shown to involve inhibition of the recombinant Class I MCF virus formation and elimination of the early occurring potential lymphoma cells (PLCs). A low B cell lymphoma incidence (16% at a mean latency of 540 days) and a low level of PLCs (yielding 12% B cell lymphoma development following lymphoid cell transfer) was observed in mAb 18-5 treated mice (in contrast to a high PLC level in thymectomized AKR mice that could be experimentally triggered to progress to overt CD5+ B cell lymphomas). Administration of anti CD8 mAb or IL-4 to 12-month-old mAb 18-5 pre-treated mice only slightly increased B cell lymphoma incidence (up to 30-40%). Exposure to split-dose irradiation resulted in 26% B cell lymphomas at a 250 day mean latency. The phenotypes of the B lymphomas developing in mAb 18-5 treated mice were: B220+ (14.8+, 6B2+), 6C3+, Mac2+, CD5-. Most lymphomas expressed l-a and surface IgM, pointing to their mature B cell characteristics. Moreover, in some of the lymphomas, high levels of IgM production and secretion were determined. A comparison of the morphological characteristics (based on light and ultrastructure microscopy) of CD5+ and CD5- B cell lymphomas developing in AKR mice indicated marked differences. Analysis of the IgH locus of representative CD5- B lymphomas showed an identical pattern of IgH rearrangement in some tumors (similar to previous findings among CD5+ lymphomas). The virological analysis of the CD5- B cell lymphomas (similar to those observed in the CD5+ B cell lymphomas of AKR origin) showed that their development did not require formation of the pathogenic MCF recombinant viruses. The differences observed between the CD5+ and CD5- B cell lymphomas developing in AKR mice (following prevention of spontaneous T cell lymphomagenesis) may be due to their origin of different B cell precursors or from B cells at different levels of differentiation.

The effects of passive antiviral immunotherapy in AKR mice: I. The susceptibility of AKR mice to spontaneous and induced T cell lymphomagenesis.

The AKR inbred mouse strain displays a high incidence of spontaneous T cell lymphomas that arise predominantly in the thymus of 6 to 12-month-old mice. Heterogenous nonacute transforming retroviruses are associated with the etiology of the disease: the endogenous ecotropic viruses (inherited in AKR mice at two non-linked chromosomal loci, Akv-1 and Akv-2), the xenotropic virus and recombinant viruses. Prevention of spontaneous T cell lymphomagenesis in AKR mice by passive anti-viral immunotherapy was accomplished by suppressing endogenous ecotropic virus release. Treatment with monoclonal antibody Hy-72 reacting only with Akv1 type ecotropic viruses, or with mAb 18-5 with specificity for both ecotropic and MCF recombinant virus envelope glycoprotein (administered from birth for 10 days) inhibited similarly T cell lymphoma development. A reduced thymus cellularity observed in these mAb treated mice coincided with reduced level of earliest intrathymic low CD4 precursor population in their thymus. The role of endogenous viruses (MuLV) and presence of potential lymphoma cells (PLCs) (identified among bone marrow cells of untreated AKR mice) in enhanced T cell lymphomagenesis in AKR mice, triggered by different leukemogenic agents, was evaluated. Intrathymic injection of the radiation leukemia virus variant A-RadLV or administration of methylnitrosourea resulted in a high lymphoma incidence within a short latent period of 80-100 days irrespective of the presence or absence of MuLV or PLCs in these treated mice. Thus, a direct action of these agents on thymocytes seems to occur. The high susceptibility of untreated AKR mice to radiation induced T cell lymphomagenesis was not affected by pretreatment with mAb Hy-72; in contrast to markedly reduced sensitivity following pretreatment with mAb 18-5 (15 vs 100%). The mAb 18-5 induced resistance to radiation lymphomagenesis seems to be related to defects in the bone marrow stem cell pool as well as in the thymus microenvironment of mAb 18-5 treated mice. Thus, different developmental pathways are involved in enhanced T cell lymphomagenesis in AKR mice.

Role of cytokines in termination of the B cell lymphoma dormant state in AKR mice.

The high incidence of spontaneous T cell lymphomas in AKR mice (affected by sustained viremia) can be greatly reduced by experimental manipulations including thymus removal at young age or by genetic manipulation changing the Fv-1 allele that controls replication and spread of viruses (establishing the congenic AKR.Fv-1b mice). Although T cell lymphomagenesis is prevented, all these mice were shown to carry endogenous ecotropic provirus-induced potential lymphoma cells (PLCs) in a dormant state. The termination of the dormant state, leading to a high incidence of CD5+ IgM+ B cell lymphomas, was triggered by interference with T cell functions (optimal effect observed following in vivo administration of anti-CD8 moAb), administration of T cell growth factors or by injecting the MCF-247 recombinant virus isolate (from AKR origin) that affects T cell functions. The assumption that the PLC dormant state is maintained through specific immunological mechanisms (involving T cells or antibodies recognizing PLCs) could not be substantiated experimentally. The results of the present studies suggest that T cells provide immunoregulatory signals or factors that contribute to the maintenance of the B cell lymphoma arrest and/or proliferation. Analysis of cytokine levels produced by splenocytes taken from mice during PLC dormancy or its breakdown indicated reduced levels of IL-2 and IL-4 and marked elevation of IL-1 and IL-6 associated with the termination of the dormant state. The effect of IL-1 and IL-6 on terminating the dormant state was demonstrated by injecting these cytokines into PLC carriers, thymectomized 12-month-old AKR mice, yielding 80-85% CD5+ IgM+ B cell lymphomas. The role of IL-6 on B cell lymphoma proliferation was also indicated in MCF-247 mediated termination of dormancy, by inhibiting significantly its effect via in vivo administration of anti IL-6 moAbs.

Low doses of radiation induce systemic production of cytokines: possible contribution to leukemogenesis.

Experiments were conducted to explore the possible effect of low-dose irradiation on cytokine production in mice. SJL/J and C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 3 Gy and 4 Gy respectively. At various time intervals thereafter, lung-conditioned media, bone-marrow-conditioned media and sera were collected. Interleukin-6 and macrophage-colony-stimulating-factor activities were tested. Interleukin-6 in lung-conditioned media from both strains was found to be significantly induced by irradiation. Macrophage-colony-stimulating-factor activity was greatly enhanced in sera of irradiated SJL/J mice as well as in bone-marrow-conditioned media of both strains. The kinetics of the radiation-induced interleukin 6 and macrophage-colony-stimulating-factor activity differed in the 2 strains. SJL/J and C57BL/6J mice have been previously shown to be susceptible to low-dose-radiation-induced leukemia. The coleukemogenic effects of both cytokines in 3 different models of experimental leukemogenesis is demonstrated.

Lymphomagenesis in AKR.Fv-1b congenic mice.

In the AKR.Fv-1b congenic strain the Fv-1n allele of the AKR/J mice was substituted with the Fv-1b allele, thereby limiting viral replication and spread of the endogenous N-tropic murine leukemia virus. As a result of this genetic change AKR.Fv-1b mice develop a low spontaneous incidence (7%) of T-cell lymphomas and about 28% of Ly-1+ B-cell lymphomas are observed in old mice. Characteristic changes in thymus subpopulations of AKR/J mice (related to the formation of the dual tropic mink cell focus inducing (MCF) type virus in the thymus) were not observed in the thymus of AKR.Fv-1b mice. In contrast to the low susceptibility to spontaneous T-cell lymphoma development, these mice were highly sensitive to fractionated irradiation or to radiation leukemia virus (a mixture of N- and B-tropic viruses) induced T-cell lymphoma. Potential lymphoma cells (that would ultimately develop into Ly-1+ B-cell lymphomas) were demonstrated in bone marrow and spleens of 16-24-month-old mice. Analysis of the Ly-1+ IgM+ B-cell population in spleens of 18-month-old mice revealed a significant increase in this population (35% versus 2% in young spleens). The spontaneous Ly-1+ B-cell lymphoma incidence could be enhanced (up to 77%) by in vivo administration of anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody or IL-4 to 18-month-old mice. Virological analysis of T/B-cell lymphomas for class I MCF viruses indicated that Class I MCF development was tightly correlated with T-lymphoma development (except radiation induced tumors that showed no MCF provirus involvement). In contrast, Ly-1+ B-cell lymphoma development was independent of Class I MCF pathogenic virus involvement.

Analysis of Ly-1+ B-cell populations and IgH rearrangements in "normal" spleens and in lymphomas of AKR/J and AKR Fv-1b mice.

AKR mice are highly susceptible to development of spontaneous T-cell lymphoma. Thymus removal at the age of 1-3 months greatly reduces T-cell lymphoma. Lymphomas that have the characteristics of T- and/or B-cells occur sporadically in peripheral lymphoid tissues of old thymectomized AKR/J mice. These thymectomized mice were shown to carry dormant potential lymphoma cells. Transplantation of lymphoid cells from 8-12-month-old AKR/J mice, thymectomized at the age of 6 to 8 weeks, into intact or thymectomized young recipients yielded 80-100% Ly-1+ pre-B or B-cell lymphomas. In the AKR-Fv-1b congenic strain the Fv-1n allele of AKR/J mice was substituted with the Fv-1b allele, thereby limiting viral replication and spread of the endogenous N-tropic murine leukemia virus. As a result of this restriction in virus spread, AKR-Fv-1b mice develop a low spontaneous incidence (7%) of T-cell lymphomas and about 28% of Ly-1+ B-cell lymphomas at old age. In spleens of 15-18-month-old thymectomized AKR/J mice and intact AKR-Fv-1b mice, 30-60% of the B-cells were of the Ly-1+ B type. Analysis of the IgH locus in these normal old spleens and Ly-1+ B lymphomas indicated mono- or oligoclonality. One particular IgH rearrangement was identified in many individual old spleens and tumors. A second specific IgH rearrangement was found in some tumors. Possible mechanisms involved in the expansion of Ly-1+ clones and their progression into tumors are discussed.

Absence of negative growth regulation in three new murine radiation-induced myeloid leukemia cell lines with deletion of chromosome 2.

Murine radiation-induced acute myeloid leukemia (RI-AML) may be considered as the experimental counterpart of human secondary leukemia. Three new myelomonocytic cell lines derived from RI-AML and carrying a partially deleted chromosome 2 are described. The RI-AML cells responded with increased proliferation after being incubated with the hemopoietic growth factors rG-CSF, rGM-CSF and IL-3. Increased proliferation of the same extent without any effect in differentiation, was also demonstrated in the RI-AML cells after incubation with IL-6 and with mouse lung conditioned medium (CM) and Krebs ascites tumor cells CM which induce differentiation in normal and most leukemic myeloid cells. Down-regulation of the c-myc gene and induction of (2'-5') oligo-adenylate synthetase (reflecting autocrine interferon secretion), two essential mechanisms operating during arrest of growth and concomitant differentiation, were demonstrated to be absent in RI-AML cells. In contrast, the M1 cells responded to the above differentiating factors with growth arrest and differentiation and with appropriate c-myc down-regulation and synthetase induction. The genetic basis for the distinct RI-AML cells' behavior may be connected with the loss or structural and/or functional abnormalities of DNA sequences located in the deleted part of chromosome 2 or in the respective allele. The presently described new RI-AML cell lines may be used for studies concerning myeloid leukemogenesis in general and secondary leukemia in particular.

Initiation and promotion in radiation-induced myeloid leukemia.

Acute myelomonocytic leukemia develops in 10-30% of irradiated (300 rad) SJL/J mice, after a lag period of around one year. Additional treatment with dexamethasone shortly after irradiation increased leukemia incidence up to 50%. Experiments were conducted in order to demonstrate the existence of preleukemic cells in irradiated mice and to explore the possible role of dexamethasone, cyclophosphamide, and different hemopoietic growth factors on their promotion to overt leukemia. Transplantation of bone marrow cells from mice exposed to 300 rad plus dexamethasone into appropriate recipients, performed 4-5 months after leukemogenic treatment, resulted in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) development of donor origin in 70% of the recipients. Transfer of fractionated preleukemic bone marrow showed that the highest AML incidence developed in the recipients of fractions enriched in early hemopoietic precursors. The promoting effect of dexamethasone on preleukemic cells was confirmed by demonstrating its similar coleukemogenic effect whether administered within several hours or 130 days after radiation. Treatment with cyclophosphamide shortly after radiation could not replace the dexamethasone effect but was found to be complementary to the coleukemogenic effect of dexamethasone. Early administration of hemopoietic growth factors (starting 14 days after radiation and dexamethasone) showed that colony-stimulating factor (CSF) 1 increased the AML incidence (75%) and reduced its latency. Treatment with recombinant granulocyte-CSF (rG-CSF) had a reduced effect and recombinant granulocyte-macrophage CSF (rGM-CSF) had no promoting effect. However, administration of different factors several months after the leukemogenic treatment revealed that rGM-CSF increased AML incidence (75%) and shortened its latency, whereas rG-CSF and CSF-1 had no effect. In contrast, the late administration of recombinant interleukin 6 reduced AML incidence significantly (23%). The present results indicate that murine radiation induced AML is a multiphase process involving radiation induced preleukemia that can be promoted by different treatments.

Antitumor effects of human recombinant interleukin-6 on acute myeloid leukemia in mice and in cell cultures.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been shown to inhibit growth and induce differentiation of several myeloid leukemia cell lines. In this work, two in vivo models of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in mice have been used to test the therapeutic potential of recombinant human IL-6. In mice inoculated by a transplantable AML tumor, IL-6 injections inhibited the development of leukemia and increased survival. The effect was related to dose and length of treatment. In a model of radiation-induced leukemogenesis in SJL/J mice, administration of low-dose IL-6 for 10 days, 4 months after irradiation, reduced the incidence of leukemia observed during 1 year, whereas granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) increased the incidence of leukemia. In vitro liquid cultures of leukemic blood cells obtained from AML patients showed that IL-6 slowed growth and decreased the proportion of blasts with an increase in more mature myeloid elements in 72% of M1, M2, M4 AML cases. In contrast, GM-CSF less often produced differentiation but stimulated leukemic cell growth in liquid cultures, without synergism by IL-6.

Termination of the B cell lymphoma dormant state in thymectomized AKR mice.

AKR mice are highly susceptible to spontaneous T cell lymphomagenesis and thymus removal at the age of 1 to 3 mo greatly reduces its development. Twelve-mo-old AKR mice thymectomized at young age were shown previously to carry potential lymphoma cells that could be triggered to develop into B cell lymphomas (80 to 100%) after removal from their host "restrictive" environment into young histocompatible hosts. Additional attempts were made to terminate the potential lymphoma cell dormant state in 12-mo-old thymectomized AKR mice. Replenishment of some deficiencies caused by thymectomy at a young age, including a s.c. syngeneic thymus graft or a single injection of the dual tropic recombinant virus isolates DTV-71 or MCF-247 into 12-mo-old thymectomized AKR mice resulted in Ly-1+ pre-B or B cell lymphoma development in 80 to 98% of these treated mice. In vivo elimination of T cell subsets by administration of cyclosporin A or by mAb expressed on Th cells (anti-CD4) or cytotoxic T cells (anti-CD8) stimulated the progression of dormant potential lymphoma cells towards B cell lymphoma development. The most striking results were observed after administration of anti-CD8 mAb: 90 to 100% of these treated mice developed Ly-1+ B cell lymphomas within 80 days. The effect of rIL-2 on dormant PLC was also tested. Administration of rIL-2 to 12-mo-old thymectomized mice terminated tumor dormancy in 94% of the treated mice within 66 days. Tests of the resulting B lymphomas for dual tropic recombinant virus/mink cell focus-inducing virus infection indicated that the breakdown of tumor dormancy did not result from development of pathogenic class I mink cell focus-inducing viruses. These results suggest that T cell subsets and/or their products are involved in the proliferation arrest of potential lymphoma cells present in thymectomized AKR mice.

Multiphase process involved in radiation induced murine AML.

Exposure of 3 month old SJL/J mice to a single dose of 300 r yielded 15-30% acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AML) development at a mean latency of 1 year. Additional treatment with dexamethasone shortly after irradiation increased leukemia incidence to 50%. All tumors were characterized by a partial deletion of one allele of chromosome 2 and the same deletion was detected in bone marrow and spleen cells of most irradiated mice, irrespective of the development of the disease. The presence of potential leukemic cells (PLC) in mice 4 months after the leukemogenic treatment was confirmed by transplantation studies. In these experiments PLC transition into overt AML seemed to be dependent on their transfer into irradiated recipients. Thus, exposure to 300 r results in the initiation of potential leukemic cells. Experiments were conducted in order to explore the possible role of radiation, cytokines and different hemopoietic growth factors on PLC promotion to overt leukemia. Exposure to 300 r, beside PLC initiation, was found to trigger the production of IL-6 and CSF-1; the additional administration of dexamethasone further increased CSF-1 levels. In vivo administration of CSF-1 into mice carrying radiation-induced PLC was most effective in PLC promotion to overt AML development.

Role of pineal melatonin and melatonin-induced-immuno-opioids in murine leukemogenesis.

The relationship between the pineal gland, melatonin and melatonin-induced-immuno-opioids with the response of C57Bl/6 mice to A-RadLV induced T cell lymphomas was investigated. Mice were injected at day 0 with A-RadLV and from day 10 they were treated chronically with melatonin 4 mg/kg body weight, naltrexone 1 mg/kg or phosphate buffered saline, throughout the experiment. In another protocol, groups of mice were a) surgical pinealectomized at day-14, b) functional pinealectomized (24:24 hours light) from day -20 and c) sham pinealectomized. At day 0 each group was inoculated intrathymically with A-RadLV. The results show that melatonin accelerated (p < 0.005) leukemogenesis whereas the surgical pinealectomy and the functional pinealectomy delayed it (p < 0.005 and p < 0.01). Moreover, the action of melatonin was blocked by naltrexone (p < 0.005), indicating the involvement of melatonin-induced-immuno-opioids in the development of the lymphomas.

Validity of the in vitro system as a correlate of the in vivo model of RadLV lymphomagnesis.

Adult BL/6 mice are highly sensitive to lymphomagnesis by the radiation leukemia virus variant A-RadLV (80-100% T-cell lymphoma incidence after a latency of 70-110 days). This study shows that the in vivo elimination of T-cell subsets (including suppressor and cytotoxic T-cells) achieved by the repeated administration of cyclophosphamide, cyclosporin A, anti CD4 or anti CD8 mAb shortly after virus infection did not interfere with the lymphomagenic pathway. No reduction in the high lymphoma incidence or tumor latency was observed following the different treatments. Thus the suggestion on the basis of in vitro studies that the early phase of A-RadLV lymphomagenesis is associated with suppressor T-cells which abrogate a potential anti-tumor immune response has not been confirmed in these studies.

Prevention of spontaneous AKR T cell lymphomagenesis by 24-666, a virus isolated from an AKR B cell lymphoma.

Injection of a nonlymphomagenic ecotropic virus 24-666 isolated from a B cell lymphoma of AKR origin into young AKR mice (1-60 days old) inhibited spontaneous T cell lymphoma development. The reduction in T cell lymphoma incidence (16/106-15%) was accompanied with the appearance of B cell lymphomas (16/106-34%) in older mice (500 days mean latency). Infection of newborn to 60-day-old AKR mice with 24-666 prevented changes in thymus subpopulations and expression of MuLV-related cell surface antigens, normally observed in the thymus of 5- to 6-month-old AKR mice prior to lymphoma development. Thymuses of 24-666-infected 9- to 12-month-old mice lacked recombinant dual tropic virus (DTV) expression and retained the thymus pattern of 2-month-old AKR mice. At 12 months after 24-666 administration a striking decrease in Thy1.1 level and in the CD4+ CD8+ population and an increase in CD4- CD8- cells and in mu+ B cells, predominantly Ly1+, were observed. The presence of B cells in these thymuses was also reflected in the high response of thymocytes to LPS blastogenesis accompanied by a decreased response to PHA. Although T cell lymphoma development was markedly reduced by 24-666 administration, the establishment of potential lymphoma cells (PLC) was not affected. Transfer of lymphoid cells from 12-month-old grossly normal 24-666-infected mice to the appropriate recipients resulted in a high incidence (64-80%) of B cell lymphoma development. Thus, 24-666 seems to act through interference with the establishment of DTV in the thymus, thereby preventing PLC promotion to overt T cell lymphomas. Lack of the favorable microenvironment for PLC development in the T cell pathway enables PLC development in the B cell pathway in older mice.