Induction of antitumor immunity in mice by allo-major histocompatibility complex class I gene transfectant with strong antigen expression.

An allo-major histocompatibility complex class I gene (H-2Kb) was transfected to murine mastocytoma P1.HTR (P815 subline) cells, after which several transfectant clones were obtained. Two clones, which expressed a low level of H-2Kb antigen, grew well and killed the syngeneic DBA/2 mice when they were inoculated ip. These mice lived longer than the mice given injections of the parental P1.HTR tumor. However, one clone, which expressed a high level of H-2Kb antigen, was rejected completely by the syngeneic DBA/2 mice and induced a generation of H-2Kb-specific cytotoxic T cells. Interestingly, the mice that had rejected the clone with high H-2Kb expression received strong anti-tumor immunity for rejection of the parental P1.HTR tumor challenged at the high dose.