In vivo therapy of a murine B cell tumor (BCL₁) using antibody-ricin A chain immunotoxins

Prolonged remissions were induced in mice bearing advanced BCL₁ tumors by the combined approach of nonspecific cytoreductive therapy and administration of a tumor-reactive immunotoxin. Thus, the vast majority of the tumor cells (~95%) were first killed by nonspecific cytoreductive therapy using total lymphoid irradiation (TLI) and splenectomy. The residual tumor cells were then eliminated by intravenous administration of an anti-δ immunotoxin. In three of four experiments, all animals treated in the above fashion appeared tumor free 12-16 wk later. In one experiment, blood cells from the mice in remission were transferred to normal BALB/c recipients, and the latter animals have not developed detectable tumor for the 6 mo of observation. Because 1-10 adoptively transferred BCL₁ cells will cause tumor in normal BALB/c mice by 12 wk, the inability to transfer tumor to recipients might indicate that the donor animals were tumor free. In the remainder of the animals treated with the tumor-reactive immunotoxin there was a substantial remission in all animals, but the disease eventually reappeared. In contrast, all mice treated with the control immunotoxin or antibody alone relapsed significantly earlier (3-4 wk after splenectomy).