The significant insights into the immunobiology of central nervous system (CNS) and
brain tumor have opened up the feasibility of applying '
Immunotherapy' as an alternative to the poor prognosis of malignant
brain tumor with conventional therapeutic approaches. Though
cytokines like
IL-2 and IFN-gamma used against
glioma showed some favorable results by eliciting Th1 type immune response, a proper immunotherapeutic agent is still to be searched for. Sheep erythrocyte (SRBC), a corpuscular
antigen showed a better therapeutic efficacy in terms of enhanced survival and augmentation of cell mediated immunity (CMI) in a
glioma model developed by chemical
carcinogen ethyl nitrosourea. Histological findings revealed most efficient
glioma rejection in SRBC and combination
biological response modifier (BRM) treated groups. Simultaneously E-rosetting, cytotoxicity of lymphocytes, phagocytosis and
antigen presenting capacity of myeloid cells established the better therapeutic efficacy of SRBC alone than other BRMs viz.
IL-2 and IFN-gamma. Even the effect of combination
therapy of different BRMs showed marginal differences in facilitating
glioma reduction than the single use of SRBC. These findings emphasized the application of SRBC as an exogenous BRM having the potential as a rational therapeutic adjunct against
glioma.