In vivo and in vitro effects of beta-carotene and algae extracts in murine tumor models.

Abstract

Phycotene, an algae extract with known antineoplastic activity, was demonstrated to prolong, but not sustain, an increased survival rate in a murine fibrosarcoma model when it was combined with immunotherapy. It was further shown that splenocytes from phycotene and beta-carotene-treated survivors could not confer protection to a fresh tumor cell challenge in virgin mice after adoptive transfer. In a series of cytotoxicity assays, phycotene combined with immunization was demonstrated to enhance cell-mediated and complement-dependent cytotoxicity in the first 14-21 days. However, after 21 days, the phycotene and immunization groups exhibited a decreased ability to mediate immune cytotoxicity compared with immunization-only controls. This may serve to explain the in vivo findings that while survival was increased early on in active immunization and phycotene-treated mice, it eventually dropped to the level of the active immunization controls.

• Authors: W Combs, S T Sonis, J Fitzgerald, C Tracy, R Wilson
• Journal: Nutrition and cancer (Nutr Cancer) Vol. 12 Issue 4 Pg. 371-80 ( 1989) ISSN: 0163-5581 [Print] United States
• PMID: 2608541 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Plant Extracts
• phycotene
• beta Carotene
• Carotenoids

Topics

• Animals
• Carotenoids (therapeutic use)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Fibrosarcoma (drug therapy, therapy)
• Immunotherapy
• In Vitro Techniques
• Male
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Plant Extracts (therapeutic use)
• beta Carotene