Necrosis and inhibition of growth of human lung tumor by anti-α-human chorionic gonadotropin antibody

Abstract

Human lung tumor cells (ChaGo) established in culture from a broncho-genie squamous cell carcinoma synthesize and secrete large amouts of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), predominatly the α subunit of the gly-coprotein hormone. ChaGo cells lose their transformation phenotypes following treatment with anti α-HCG antibody or following inhibition of intracellular synthesis of α-HCG by the anti-sense RNA technique. We report that tumors induced by ChaGo cells in female athymic mice undergo necortic degeneration following local of intra peritoneal administration of α-HCG-specific-antibody. The α-HCG antibody did not affect the growth of tumors induced by α-HCG nonproducing human tumor cells. Histopathological examinations of the anti-αHCG antibody-treated tumor tissues showed active necrosis. When the antibody treatment was discontinued, the tumorigenesis process resumed. When anti α-HCG antibody was administered simultaneously with ChaGo cells, a concentration-dependent inhibition of tumor growth in athymic mice was completely prevented at higher concentrations of the specific antibody.