MACROPHAGE ACTIVATION FOR TUMOR-CYTOTOXICITY - GENETIC-VARIATION IN MACROPHAGE TUMORICIDAL CAPACITY AMONG MOUSE STRAINS

Development of activated tumoricidal macrophages following Mycobacterium bovis, strain BCG infection in vivo or lymphokine treatment in vitro was examined with more than 20 mouse strains. Peritoneal macrophages from 8 of 22 strains failed to develop tumoricidal capacity by 7 days after i.p. BCG infection. Macrophages from 6 of 6 in vivo nonresponder strains failed develop tumoricidal capacity after in vitro treatment with lymphokines. Identification of nonresponder mouse strains should provide a useful resource for analysis of intermediary reactions in macrophage activation.