title: Beta-carotene enhances natural killer cell activity in athymic mice.
abstract: To study the effects of beta-carotene on Natural Killer (NK) cells, we chose athymic mice whose spleens have a higher percentage of NK cells than conventional mice. Preliminary studies conducted with beta-carotene given intraperitoneally to athymic mice xenografted with a small-cell lung carcinoma resulted in a slight but significant antiproliferative effect (unpublished observations). We speculated that such an activity of beta-carotene was related to its immunostimulating properties. NK cell activity in ungrafted athymic mice as influenced by beta-carotene was studied. Mice received beta-carotene intraperitoneally. Splenic NK cells were labelled with monoclonal antibody and numeration was completed by measurement of their functional activity against YAC-1 malignant cells with a 51Cr release assay. In addition, splenic lymphocytes were evaluated for their reduced glutathione (GSH) content. There was a non-significant increase in the number of NK cells in the spleen, however their killing capacity was significantly (p < 0.01) enhanced after beta-carotene treatment. Also the GSH content of splenic lymphocytes was significantly higher in beta-carotene treated mice. Comparison of the average body weights of treated animals and of their respective controls showed that treatment had no adverse effects.
authors.affiliation: Groupe de Recherches et d'Etudes des Pathologies Oxydatives (GREPO), Faculté de Pharmacie, La Tronche, France.
authors.forename: T F
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Carlos
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Riondel
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mathieu
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guiraud
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Mestries
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Favier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009929:Organ Size; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D019207:beta Carotene; D005978:Glutathione