The effect of shark liver oil on the tumor infiltrating lymphocytes and cytokine pattern in mice.
BACKGROUND
Shark Liver Oil (SLO) is a traditional medicine that has been widely used in Scandinavian folk to augment the immune response in some immune-related diseases, especially as an anti-cancer agent.


OBJECTIVE
The object of this project was to confirm the anti-cancer effect of SLO and the possible involving mechanisms.


METHODS
Using delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response in normal mice, the optimal dose for stimulation of cellular immunity was obtained and injected intraperitoneally to the tumor-bearing mice. Cytokine pattern of splenic MNCs was tested by ELISA. The percentage of CD(4)(+) and CD(8)(+) lymphocytes in tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes was determined by flow cytometry. Also the rate of increase in tumor volume measured.


RESULTS
Our findings indicated that SLO highly augments delayed-type hypersensitivity response against sheep Red Blood Cell (sRBC) in mice. Furthermore, intraperitoneal injection of SLO to tumor-bearing mice could increase T-cell infiltration into the tumor and lower the increasing rate of tumor's volume. Also, it changes the cytokine pattern of the splenic Mononuclear cells (MNCs) to Th1.


CONCLUSIONS
Increase in IFN-gamma (resulting in enhanced cellular immunity) and increase in especially CD(8)(+) lymphocytes accompanied by a decrease in tumor size are among the signs of its anti-tumor effect. Accordingly, we suppose that SLO is a good candidate for further studies in cancer therapy.
Hajimoradi
Monire
M
Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
Hassan
Zuhair Mohammad
ZM
Pourfathollah
Ali Akbar
AA
Daneshmandi
Saeed
S
Pakravan
Nafiseh
N
D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D016246:Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D012754:Sharks
D016207:Cytokines; D005395:Fish Oils