title: Effect of immunostimulants and antitumor agents on tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production.
abstract: OK-432, a lyophilized preparation of Streptococcus pyogenes, showed a priming activity for TNF production in mice, associated with an increase of spleen weight. PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide preparation from Coriolus versicolor, did not show such activity. Both OK-432 and PSK potentiated the TNF production in mice primed with Corynebacterium parvum (CP) and challenged with Escherichia coli endotoxin (LPS). Cytotoxic antitumor agents of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), cyclophosphamide (CY) and bleomycin (BLM) suppressed TNF production in mice primed with CP and challenged with LPS. TNF production suppressed by 5-FU, CY and BLM was partially restored by the combined treatment with OK-432 or PSK. These results suggest that the administration of cytotoxic antitumor agents suppresses the intrinsic TNF production in cancer patients, and the combined use of immunostimulants such as OK-432 and PSK is advantageous in restoring TNF production suppressed by cytotoxic antitumor agents.
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D005472:Fluorouracil / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010844:Picibanil / Q000494:pharmacology; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011509:Proteoglycans; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D001761:Bleomycin; D010844:Picibanil; C010770:polysaccharide-K; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D005472:Fluorouracil