High MHC class I expression correlates with slow growth in UV-induced skin carcinomas in hairless mice

• Published in: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica et immunologica Scandinavica Vol. 106; no. 7-12; pp. 1101 - 1107
• Main Authors: SVANE, INGE MARIE, ENGEL, ANNE-MARIE, THOMSEN, NIELS BECH, WULF, HANS CHRISTIAN, WERDELIN, OLE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.11.1998; Blackwell
• Subjects: Animals; beta 2-Microglobulin - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Carcinogenesis, carcinogens and anticarcinogens; carcinoma; Carcinoma - immunology; Carcinoma - pathology; Cell Division - immunology; hairless mice; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - biosynthesis; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I - immunology; Immunohistochemistry; Medical sciences; MHC class I; Mice; Mice, Hairless; Neoplasms, Experimental - immunology; Neoplasms, Experimental - pathology; Physical agents; Skin Neoplasms - immunology; Skin Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors; Ultraviolet Rays; UV radiation; Animal model; HLA-System; Skin disease; Carcinoma; Major histocompatibility system; Rodentia; Time; Tumorigenicity; Malignant tumor; Electromagnetic wave; Vertebrata; Ultraviolet radiation; Mammalia; Mouse; Animal; Skin; Class I histocompatibility antigen
• ISSN: 0903-4641; 1600-0463
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1998.tb00265.x

An experiment was set up to investigate the relationship, if any, between cell surface MHC class I expression and the growth rate for skin tumors induced by two different UV radiation regimens in hairless mice. Two groups of 20 hairless mice were each irradiated with either a UVA radiation source (2 SED per session) or broad‐spectrum UV radiation (UVB) (8.1 SED per session) 5 days a week during the entire experiment. In the UVA group, 17 out of 20 animals developed tumors, and 10 of these grew to a diameter of ≥5 mm. In the UVB group, 19 out of 20 animals developed tumors, and 15 of these grew to a diameter of ≥5 mm. The tumor induction time, i.e. the time from the start of UV treatment to tumor appearance, was found to be significantly longer (p<0.01) in the UVA than in the UVB group. This is in accordance with previous findings. Of the 25 tumors growing to a diameter of ≥5 mm, 11 were established as cultured cell lines (4 UVA and 7 UVB tumors). These uncloned cell lines were analyzed for surface expression of major histocompatibility complex class I by FACS analysis. There was a clear correlation between high MHC class I expression and slow growth of the individual tumors (p<0.05). This suggests a role for the MHC class I governed, i.e. cytotoxic T‐cell‐mediated, reactions in deciding the fate of UV‐induced skin cancers. No correlation was found between MHC class I expression and tumor induction time.