Possible role of Ab super(b) gene in mouse resistance to EL4 metastases

"S" (survivor) mutants were produced in mice for genetic analysis of host resistance to metastatic cancers. S-mutants S-27 and S-31 resist transplantation of lymphoma EL4 of parental C57BL/6J (B6) mice while they accept parental skin grafts. Mutant S-27 also resists formation of spontaneous metastases from intradermally growing EL4 tumor into lymph nodes; mutant S-31 is highly susceptible to EL4 metastases. Another mutant, H-2 super(bm26) (bm26), resists EL4 and rejects B6 skin grafts. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II gene expression was compared in these mutants and normal B6 mice. The findings suggest extensive sequence alterations in the Ab super(b) gene in mutants S-27, S-31, and bm26; they also suggest a major role of MHC in the control of host resistance to spontaneous metastases of the EL4 tumor.