T cell kinetics and apoptosis in immune organs and mammary tumors of rats treated with cyclophosphamide and soluble tumor-associated antigens

The aim of this review was to analyze the role of cell kinetics and apoptosis in the cellular mechanism underlying the effects of soluble tumor-associated antigens (sTAA) on chemically-induced mammary cancer in rats treated with the anticancer drug cyclosphosphamide (CPA). Mammary gland cancer was induced with dimethylbenz(a)antracene (DMBA), and tumors, the spleen, thymus, bone marrow and lymph nodes were studied by morphometric and immunoshistochemical methods. We suggest that inhibition of the functional activity of the immune system is one of the main reasons for the toxic effects of CPA, and that the tumor-suppressive antitoxic effects of sTAA result from their activation of T-lymphocyte production in this system, particularly in the spleen and lymph nodes. The results of our experiments have shown that vaccination with sTAA actively promotes generation of the host's antitumor immune response. This is manifested in inhibited proliferative activity of the tumor cells, stimulated production of T lymphocytes and an increased rate of apoptosis among tumor cells.