Antigen-presenting cells (APC) constitutively process endogenous (self) proteins to bind the processed peptides to Ia molecules. In the present study, we investigated whether the same associative recognition also holds true for tumor-associated antigens (TAA) that are regarded as "self" molecules in tumor-bearing hosts. The following results were obtained: (i) an APC-depleted splenic T cell population from CSA1M tumor-immunized hosts was stimulated to produce interleukin 2 in vitro when co-cultured with APC from CSA1M-bearing mice, but not from normal mice; and (ii) a Thy-1+ cell-depleted APC population from CSA1M-bearing mice could produce CSA1M tumor-specific protection in vivo when inoculated into naive syngeneic mice. These results provide evidence for the functional binding in vivo of TAA to APC in the tumor-bearing state. The results are discussed in the context of the paradox that tumor-bearers fail to reject their own malignancy despite the formation on APC of an effective immunogenic unit which is capable of stimulating tumor-specific T cells.