Transplantability of neuraminidase-treated ascites tumour cells.

Abstract Landschutz ascites tumour cells exposed in vitro to neuraminidase (VCN) were tested for viability, sialic acid depletion and subsequent tumour development in three mouse strains. Treatment with 25 U VCN/ 10 7 cells/ml released 50% of the total cellular sialic acid content and no further release was found using a 20 fold higher enzyme concentration at pH 5.5 . The treated cells were normally viable as assessed by vital dye exclusion. VCN reduced tumour transplantability at certain inoculum levels but above a particular tumour dose for each mouse strain no such effect was observed. Sera from the three mouse strains used showed no cytotoxic activity in vitro against untreated or VCN-treated cells.