title: Improvement of impaired mitogen-induced interferon-gamma release of peripheral blood mononuclear cells derived from tumor patients by Factor AF2.
abstract: Factor AF2, a now standardized extract from liver and spleen of newborn lambs, showed myeloprotective capacity on platelet- and erythrocyte-count as well as on hemoglobinconcentration in patients undergoing aggressive chemotherapy. In addition, a possible influence on prolonged remission duration in patients with mammary carcinoma had been claimed. In this study, the effect of Factor AF2 on mitogen-induced interferon-gamma release by PBMC was tested in 23 healthy humans and in 23 tumor patients. All patients were prior to surgery and had not yet received radio- or chemotherapy at the time of examination. The interferon-gamma concentration of the supernatants was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The cells were stimulated with PHA at 7.5 micrograms/ml. In the reference group, interferon-gamma concentration rose to 26 units/ml and to 15.5 units/ml in the tumor patients. In the reference persons, an addition of Factor AF2 at concentrations from 10(1) micrograms/ml to 10(3) micrograms/ml resulted in a small non-significant decrease of interferon-gamma release. At 10(4) micrograms/ml, neither test group showed measurable interferon-gamma concentration. In the tumor patients, cocultivation with Factor AF2 until concentration of 10(2) micrograms/ml resulted in a dose-dependent increase of interferon-gamma release, where 20.5 units/ml interferon-gamma were reached. At 10(3) micrograms/ml, Factor AF2 showed no effect on interferon-gamma release compared with the stimulation with mitogen alone. Flow-cytometry analysis of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16, CD19, CD56, and HLA-DR expression of the PBMC deriving either from reference persons or from patients revealed an almost identical distribution. A slight difference in CD16-positive and HLA-DR positive cells, respectively, was not significant.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik der Ruhruniversität Bochum, St. Josef Hospital, Federal Republic of Germany.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Baier
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gallati
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ricken
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007369:Interferon Inducers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D012636:Secretory Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D007369:Interferon Inducers; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D014020:Tissue Extracts; C064467:factor AF2; D007371:Interferon-gamma