Augmentation of tumor immunity against syngeneic tumors in mice by beta-carotene.
The effect of beta-carotene on tumor immunity was examined with the use of a syngeneic murine tumor system. Oral administration of beta-carotene (120 micrograms/mouse/day) for 9 days from day 1 to the BALB/c mice inoculated sc with 10(7) syngeneic BALB/c Meth A fibrosarcoma cells (Meth A) led to a remarkable rejection against rechallenged Meth A implanted sc on day 10. The growth of Meth 1 fibrosarcoma (Meth 1), another syngeneic tumor of BALB/c origin, as a rechallenge tumor was unaffected by treatment with beta-carotene, thereby suggesting that beta-carotene may augment tumor rejection specific to tumor-specific antigens. Winn assay revealed that the suppressive effect on tumor growth of immune lymph node cells obtained from Meth A-inoculated beta-carotene-treated mice on day 12 was enhanced dose dependently. Primary effector cells responsible for the augmented rejection are Thy-1-positive, Lyt-1-negative, and Lyt-2-positive lymphocytes, presumably cytotoxic T-lymphocytes.
Tomita
Y
Y
Himeno
K
K
Nomoto
K
K
Endo
H
H
Hirohata
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D007518:Isoantibodies; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D010641:Phenotype; D019207:beta Carotene
D007518:Isoantibodies; C029805:Lyt antibodies; D019207:beta Carotene; D002338:Carotenoids