title: Antitumor effect of Streptococcus pyogenes by inducing hydrogen peroxide production.
abstract: The Su strain of Streptococcus pyogenes (S-coccus)-derived anticancer preparation, OK-432, which is immobilized by heating in the presence of penicillin G, is well known to have an immunopotentiating activity through activation of natural killer cells in vivo. In this study, a streptococcal anticancer preparation stronger than OK-432 was prepared. Live streptococci (S-cocci) of the Su strain were induced to acquire H202-producing ability by treatment with serum under aerobic conditions. The resulting preparation no longer possessed hemolytic activity, and was not viable. The serum-treated S-coccus preparation activated natural killer cells as well as OK-432 did, and had stronger antitumor activity than OK-432 did. These results suggest that the serum-treated S-coccus preparation would be a useful tool for chemotherapy, in addition to immunotherapy, for the treatment of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Kanazawa University School of Medicine, Takara-machi, Ishikawa.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Higuchi
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010844:Picibanil / Q000494:pharmacology; D013297:Streptococcus pyogenes / Q000378:metabolism*; D014343:Trypan Blue; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010844:Picibanil; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002374:Catalase; D014343:Trypan Blue