title: Effects of the immunomodulator PSK on growth of human prostate adenocarcinoma in immunodeficient mice.
abstract: Tumor growth alterations were studied using an immunomodulator, PSK. Four human prostate tumor lines were grown in two types of immunodeficient mice. Two of the lines were selected because they are able to metastasize to lungs in host animals. Outbred NIH Swiss athymic mice having normal natural killer cells and athymic Beige mice deficient in natural killer cells were used as animal hosts. PSK treatment was given to tumor-bearing hosts to some animals soon after solid tumors were injected and to others after solid tumors were well-established. Low dose cyclophosphamide was given to some animals to decrease host natural killer cells and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) was given to other animals to increase natural killer cell activity. Measurement of tumor doubling times, host survival and metastatic capabilities showed that either poly I:C or PSK treatment in NIH Swiss animals soon after tumor cells were injected significantly increased tumor doubling times and host survival and decreased the incidence and number of metastatic lung lesions. Two of the tumor lines incapable of metastasizing in NIH Swiss mice were metastatic in the Beige athymic, natural killer-cell-deficient animals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Mickey
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Bencuya
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Foulkes
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D011070:Poly I-C / Q000494:pharmacology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D011509:Proteoglycans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D011509:Proteoglycans; C010770:polysaccharide-K; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D011070:Poly I-C