Anticancer activity of bacteriophage T4 and its mutant HAP1 in mouse experimental tumour models.
BACKGROUND
Previously, we have shown the ability of the bacteriophage T4 and its substrain HAP1 (selected for a higher affinity to melanoma cells) to reveal antimetastatic activity in a mouse melanoma model. Here, we investigated the potential phage anticancer activity in primary tumour models.


METHODS
Mice were inoculated subcutaneously with B16 or LLC cells (collected from in vitro culture). Bacteriophages T4 and HAP1 were injected intraperitoneally daily (8 x 10(8)pfu/mouse, except the experiment concerning the dose-dependence).


RESULTS
Treatment with purified preparations of bacteriophage T4 resulted in significant reduction of tumour size, the effect being dose-dependent. HAP1 was more effective than T4 and its activity was also dose-dependent. Parallel experiments with non-purified bacteriophage lysates resulted in significant stimulation of tumour growth.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that purified bacteriophages may inhibit tumour growth, a phenomenon with potentially important clinical implications in oncology.
Dabrowska
Krystyna
K
Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, Polish Academy of Sciences, R. Weigla 12, 53-114 Wroclaw, Poland.
Opolski
Adam
A
Wietrzyk
Joanna
J
Switala-Jelen
Kinga
K
Godlewska
Joanna
J
Boratynski
Janusz
J
Syper
Danuta
D
Weber-Dabrowska
Beata
B
Gorski
Andrzej
A
D000818:Animals; D017122:Bacteriophage T4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D018827:Carcinoma, Lewis Lung / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D005260:Female; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009154:Mutation