Immunostimulatory action of L-4-oxalysine counteracts immunosuppression induced by alpha-fetoprotein.
We have previously reported that L-4-oxalysine, a natural product in China, exhibits marked antitumor and immunoregulatory activities. The present study was set up to investigate the effect of L-4-oxalysine on the immunological activity of alpha-fetoprotein. It was observed in in vitro experiments that concanavalin A reactivity, one-way mixed lymphocyte reaction and interleukin-6 activity of spleen cells from hepatoma-22-bearing mice were significantly inhibited by various concentrations of alpha-fetoprotein. However, L-4-oxalysine functionally antagonized the alpha-fetoprotein-induced suppression of the mitogen- and one-way mixed lymphocyte culture-induced proliferation of spleen lymphocytes and interleukin-6 production by these cells in mice bearing the hepatoma-22 tumor. The results indicate that L-4-oxalysine has immunostimulatory activity and this effect of the agent counteracts the immunosuppression induced by alpha-fetoprotein, although L-4-oxalysine does not directly antagonize alpha-fetoprotein.
Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
X W
XW
Wang
B
B
Xu
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000600:Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008934:Mitogens / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000600:Amino Acids, Dicarboxylic; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008934:Mitogens; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins; D003208:Concanavalin A; C027136:4-oxalysine