Combination immunotherapy of the P815 murine mastocytoma with killer cells, IL-2 and anti-estrogens.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) all are being tested in cancer immunotherapy with modest success. The anti-estrogenic drug, toremifene (T0), was found earlier to amplify cancer immunotherapy with killer cells in mice. Here T0 is examined in combination with CTL and IL-2 in immunotherapy experiments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

The P815 mastocytoma of DBA/2 mice was treated with combinations of CTL, LAK cells and T0 and combinations of CTL, IL-2 and T0 along with control groups. Tumor growth rate and mortality has been recorded.

RESULTS:

Combined treatment with CTL and LAK cells cured 25% of tumor bearing animals, as did treatment with tamoxifen (TX) or T0 alone. When killer cells were given in conjunction with anti-estrogens the cure rate was 75% with both TX and T0. Human recombinant IL-2 significantly inhibited tumor growth but no cures occurred. CTL alone cured 25% of the animals. When CTL and IL-2 treatment was given jointly with T0 75% of tumor bearing animals were cured.

CONCLUSIONS:

The results indicate that treatment with anti-estrogens increased the efficiency of immunotherapy by killer cells. This was true also when CTL therapy was supplemented with IL-2 treatment.

• Authors: E Baral, E Nagy, L Kangas, I Berczi
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) 1997 Sep-Oct Vol. 17 Issue 5A Pg. 3653-8 ISSN: 0250-7005 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 9413218 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal
• Estrogen Antagonists
• Interleukin-2
• Tamoxifen
• Toremifene

Topics

• Animals
• Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal (therapeutic use)
• Combined Modality Therapy
• Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
• Estrogen Antagonists (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Immunity, Cellular
• Immunotherapy
• Interleukin-2 (therapeutic use)
• Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated (immunology)
• Mast-Cell Sarcoma (drug therapy, therapy)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred DBA
• Sarcoma, Experimental (drug therapy, therapy)
• T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic (immunology)
• Tamoxifen (therapeutic use)
• Toremifene (therapeutic use)