[Antitumoral activity of various doses of corynebacterium parvum as a function of the age of mice].

Abstract

The anti-tumor activity of Corynebacterium parvum against two different tumours, a mammary carcinoma grafted in C3H mice and a lymphosarcoma grafted in XVII mice, was lower in young and old mice, than in adult ones. In young mice (25 days) of both lines, low doses of C. parvum were more efficient than higher doses. In 12-month old XVII mice a higher survival rate was obtained by increasing the dose of C. parvum administered, whereas in old C3H mice, this phenomenon was not observed. Sublethal doses of X-irradiation abrogated the C. parvum-induced protection. Restoration of the protective effect occurred faster in 3-month old mice than in 8-month old mice. This restoration appeared earlier in XVII mice than in C3H mice.