Comparison of Antigenicity of Hepatoma Cells, Normal Liver Cells, Foetal Liver Cells and Chemically Damaged Liver Cells in Guinea-pigs Immunized with Hepatomata using the Macrophage Migration Inhibition Test

The macrophage migration inhibition test has been used to study the immune responses of guinea-pigs immunized with injections of whole cells of both an allogeneic and a syngeneic hepatoma grown as established cell lines in tissue culture. A clear dose-response relationship between tumour cell concentration and migration inhibition was seen in immunized animals and no significant migration inhibition was seen in control animals. There was no cross reaction between the two tumours used. There was no cross reaction between whole isolated normal liver cells and tumour cells, or between foetal liver cells and tumour cells. Whole isolated liver cells from carbon tetrachloride damaged livers caused some degree of migration inhibition in both normal and immunized guinea-pigs but, taking this into account, they did not appear to cross react with hepatoma cells.