Orally administered streptococcal preparation, OK-432 augments the antitumor immunity of patients with gastric or colorectal cancer.
A streptococcal preparation, OK-432, was orally administered at a dose of 5 KE to patients with gastric or colorectal cancer for 7-14 days before their operations, and its immunomodulatory effects on peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL), regional node lymphocytes (RNL) and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were assessed. The group treated with OK-432 included 8 gastric and 6 colorectal cancer patients, and the control group included 8 gastric and 8 colorectal cancer patients. The NK cell activity of PBL was significantly augmented by the oral administration of OK-432, and the proportions of Leu 7+ and Leu 11+ cells in PBL also increased. The responses of PBL and TIL to autologous tumor extracts in the presence of interleukin-2 were enhanced after the oral administration of OK-432. The proportion of OKT8+ cells in PBL increased after treatment with oral OK-432, whereas the proportion in RNL significantly decreased. These results indicate that oral OK-432 affects NK and T cells and may augment the antitumor immunity of patients with gastrointestinal cancer.
Division of Surgical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, Kyoto University, Japan.
Y
Y
Nio
K
K
Ohgaki
T
T
Tsuchitani
S
S
Imai
T
T
Shiraishi
T
T
Tobe
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010844:Picibanil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*
D007376:Interleukin-2; D010844:Picibanil