title: Effect of anti-asthma Chinese medicine Chuankezhi on the anti-tumor activity of cytokine-induced killer cells.
abstract: Chuankezhi (CKZ), a new Chinese medicine, plays an important role in immunoregulation. Cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells have been commonly used for immunotherapy in recent years. In this study, we aimed to investigate the immunoregulatory effect of CKZ on CIK cells. Peripheral blood monocytes were isolated from healthy donors, and CIK cells were generated by culturing monocytes with interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin 2. Different concentrations of CKZ were added on day 2. After incubation for 14 days in culture, the antitumor effects of CIK cells were measured by cytotoxicity assay. Flow cytometry was used to explore the effect of CKZ on CIK cell immunophenotype, intracellular cytokine production, and apoptosis. The effect of CKZ on the antitumor activity of CIK cells in nude mice was also investigated. CKZ increased the percentage of CD3+CD56+ CIK cells but did not significantly change the percentage of CD4+, CD8+, or CD4+CD25+ CIK cells. CKZ-conditioned CIK cells showed a greater ability to kill tumor cells, as well as a higher frequency of IFN-γ and TNF-α production, compared with the CIK cells in the control group. CKZ also suppressed the apoptosis of CIK cells in vitro. Furthermore, CKZ combined with CIK cells had a stronger suppressive effect on tumor growth in vivo than the CIK, CKZ, or normal saline control groups. Our results indicate that CKZ enhances the antitumor activity of CIK cells and is a potential medicine for tumor immunotherapy.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Department of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, P. R. China. xiajch@mail.sysu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Jing-Jing
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Ke
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Qi-Jing
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Zheng-Di
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: De-Sheng
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.forename: Jian-Jun
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yong-Qiang
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Chuan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Xia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000378:metabolism; D019002:CD56 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects; D055612:Cytokine-Induced Killer Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D034181:Epimedium / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008819:Mice, Nude; D032066:Morinda / Q000737:chemistry*; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D047368:Tumor Burden; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D019002:CD56 Antigen; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma