title: From experimental to clinical attempts in immunorestoration with bestatin and zinc.
abstract: Severe impairment of the lymphopoietic cell renewal system is an important etiological factor of cancer development and it may be the consequence of massive radio and/or chemotherapeutic regimens. In a comparative study, we analysed the potential, systemic immunorestoratory capacity of bestatin, a microbial leucil-aminopeptidase inhibitor and of the ubiquitous trace element zinc. In vivo administration of bestatin in mice stimulated both Interleukin 1 and Interleukin 2 production, and enhanced T cell, B cell as well as macrophage mediated immunoreactions. In a phase II clinical trial on 41 patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin disease and solid tumors, bestatin treatment corrected the pathological frequency of both OKT4 and OKT8 lymphocyte subpopulations. Zinc-saturated transferrin had a significative stimulatory effect on the ongoing DNA synthesis of antigen activated human lymphocytes in culture. Oral administration of zinc-gluconate to patients who manifested a severe T cell subpopulation defect corrected preferentially the OKT8 suppressor/cytotoxic T cell unbalances. The clinical results obtained by both bestatin and zinc were observed only on a short-term, so further studies are needed to elaborate long lasting regiments and to establish whether these treatments have determinant influence on the underlying disease.
mesh_terms: D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000628:therapy*; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005260:Female; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D015032:Zinc / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007930:Leucine; C012211:ubenimex; D015032:Zinc