title: The effect of alpha-difluoromethylornithine on natural killer cell and tumoricidal macrophage induction by interferon in vivo.
abstract: The objective of the present investigation was to evaluate the effect of DFMO (DL-alpha-difluoromethylornithine HCl H2O) administration on tumoricidal effector cell generation by IFN or IFN inducers in vivo. DFMO administration reduces both splenic leukocyte and peritoneal macrophage polyamine levels. In tumor bearing (B16 melanoma) mice, DFMO administration did not impair splenic natural killer (NK) cell augmentation, assessed against NK sensitive YAC-1 target cells, by IFN alpha/beta or the IFN inducers tilorone and polyriboinosinic: polyribocytidilic acid (poly I:C). Tumoricidal macrophage activation by IFN alpha/beta was similarly uninhibited by DFMO. However, only tumoricidal macrophage not NK cell activity was observed which could kill the B16 melanoma target cells. These results indicate that DFMO is not immunosuppressive regarding antitumor cytolytic cell induction in vivo.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D000518:Eflornithine; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009952:Ornithine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011073:Polyamines; D009952:Ornithine; D000518:Eflornithine