In vitro response of stimulated B-CLL lymphocytes of patients treated with Viscum album L. extracts.
BACKGROUND
Extracts from Viscum album (VA-E) have been shown to induce apoptosis and immunoactivation. To exclude possible B-CLL propagating effects, the in vitro reactions of cultured peripheral blood B-CLL cells were analysed.


METHODS
Intracellular expression of apoptosis-associated mitochondrial Apo2.7 and proliferation-associated Ki-67 molecules in B-CLL cells from patients treated with VA-E for 12 months were measured after incubation with various stimuli.


RESULTS
Within the observation period, the susceptibility of the B-CLL cells towards the apoptosis-inducing potential of the VA-E significantly decreased. This effect could be due to the presence of physiologically-induced anti-mistletoe lectin antibodies which may block the effects of cytotoxic mistletoe lectins. No significant induction of Ki-67 was observed, but an increase of non-specific binding, even in untreated medium controls, did occur within the last months.


CONCLUSIONS
In this in vitro setting of the observational study, no stimulation of leukemic cells from the patients treated with VA-E was profound.
Büssing
Arndt
A
Chair of Medical Theory and Complementary Medicine, University Witten/Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, D-58313 Herdecke, Germany. Arndt.Buessing@uni-wh.de
Kochskämper
Heidi
H
Rieger
Sabine
S
Schierholz
Jörg Michael
JM
Schlodder
Dietrich
D
Schietzel
Michael
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019394:Ki-67 Antigen / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D028182:Viscum album / Q000737:chemistry*
D019394:Ki-67 Antigen; D024101:Mitochondrial Proteins; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens