CK beta-11 chemoattracts T cells, B cells, dendritic cells, macrophage progenitors, and NK cells and facilitates dendritic cell and T cell interactions in secondary lymphoid tissues. We hypothesized that expression of CK beta-11 in tumor cells may generate antitumor immunity through these interactions. After transduction with the retroviral vector L(CK beta 11)SN, the murine breast cancer cell line C3L5 (C3L5-CK beta 11) showed expression of retroviral mRNA by Northern analysis and production of functional CK beta-11 by chemotaxis of human NK cells to C3L5-CK beta 11 supernatant. Only 10% of mice injected with C3L5-CK beta 11 developed tumors, compared with 100% of mice injected with a transduced control C3L5 line (C3L5-G1N). Importantly, the in vitro growth characteristics of the CK beta-11-transduced cell line were unaffected, suggesting the difference in growth in vivo was a result of chemokine production. Vaccination with C3L5-CK beta 11 partially protected animals from parental C3L5 challenge. Immunodepletion with anti-asialo-GM1 or anti-CD4 during C3L5-CK beta 11 vaccination significantly reduced CK beta-11 antitumor activity compared with control and anti-CD8-treated groups. Splenocytes from NK-depleted animals transferred the acquired immunity generated with C3L5-CK beta 11 vaccination, while splenocytes from the CD4-depleted animals did not. These results indicate, for the first time, that expression of CK beta-11 in a breast cancer cell line mediates rejection of the transduced tumor through a mechanism involving NK and CD4+ cells. Furthermore, CK beta-11-transduced tumor cells generate long-term antitumor immunity that requires CD4+ cells. These studies demonstrate the potential role of CK beta-11 as an adjuvant in stimulating antitumor responses.