[The in vitro potentiation of LAK cell cytotoxicity in cancer and aids patients induced by F3--a fractionated extract of Astragalus membranaceus].
The in vitro induction of LAK cell activity was studied in cancer and AIDS patients. F3, an immuno-regulatory component of Astragalus membranaceus was shown capable of potentiating the LAK cell inducing activity of rIL-2. The killing activity against Hs294T melanoma cell line of LAK cells induced by 50 U/ml rIL-2 in the presence of F3 (55 micrograms/ml) reached 64% which was comparable to that (60%) induced by 500 u/ml of rIL-2 alone. With F3 plus rIL-2, the effector to target cell ratio could be reduced to one-half in order to obtain an equivalent level of cytotoxicity when rIL-2 was used alone. In some patients, whose peripheral blood lymphocytes were relatively inert to rIL-2, F3 could make them responsive to rIL-2. These results imply that F3 may be useful to potentiate LAK cell activity, reduce the amount of rIL-2 and thus minimize the later's toxic side effects when used in vivo.
Chu
D T
DT
Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing.
Lin
J R
JR
Wong
W
W
D000386:AIDS-Related Complex / Q000628:therapy; D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D000328:Adult; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000009:adverse effects; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000494:pharmacology; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012514:Sarcoma, Kaposi / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007376:Interleukin-2