title: The in vitro effect of Viscum album (VA) extract on DNA repair of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in cancer patients.
abstract: Viscum album (VA) extract as an immunomodulator was tested in an in vitro model to investigate DNA repair in damaged peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of ten breast cancer patients. The cells were exposed by gamma rays or 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide (4-HCy). Two hours after exposure the following were measured, without or with VA extract (1) DNA repair using the alkaline sucrose gradient for the sedimentation of DNA strand breaks, (2) DNA-gamma-production in the supernatant of the cultured cells. The VA extract led to an improvement of DNA repair in gamma-ray or 4-HCy damaged PBMC and to a significant increase of the IFN-gamma-production both in undamaged and in damaged cells. The results indicate that the VA extract affects positively DNA repair in PBMC damaged by two different agents and suggest that an increased IFN-gamma-production may play an important role in the DNA repair process.
authors.affiliation: Society of Cancer Research, Kirschweg 4, CH-4144 Arlesheim, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kovacs
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000528:radiation effects; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects*; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000528:radiation effects; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D028182:Viscum album
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; C012358:4-hydroxycyclophosphamide; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003520:Cyclophosphamide; D004247:DNA