Dunaliella salina exhibits an antileukemic immunity in a mouse model of WEHI-3 leukemia cells.
Dunaliella salina has been shown to have antioxidant property and induce apoptotic cell death of human cancer cells in vitro. However, there is no information available on D. salina showing an antileukemia effect or immunomodulatory activity in vivo. This study applied D. salina to syngeneic leukemia-implanted mice (BALB/c and WEHI-3) to investigate its immunological and antileukemia properties. Oral administration of D. salina (184.5, 369, and 922.5 mg/kg) inhibited spleen metastasis and prolonged the survival in BALB/c mice that had received an intravenous injection of WEHI-3 cells. The results revealed that D. salina had reduced spleen enlargement in murine leukemia. It had also increased the population and proliferation of T-cells (CD3) and B-cells (CD19) following Con A/LPS treatment on flow cytometry and MTT assay, respectively. Furthermore, D. salina increased the phagocytosis of macrophages and enhanced the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells on flow cytometry and LDH assay. Moreover, D. salina enhanced the levels of interferon-γ and interleukin 2 (IL-2) but reduced the levels of IL-4 and IL-10 in leukemic mice. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the application of D. salina had beneficial effects on WEHI-3 leukemic mice by prolonging survival via modulating the immune responses.
Department of Veterinary Medicine and ‡Graduate Institute of Veterinary Pathobiology, National Chung Hsing University , Taichung 402, Taiwan.
Wen-Chen
WC
Chuang
Yung-Chyuan
YC
Ho
Jiunn-Wang
JW
Liao
Fung-Jou
FJ
Lu
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000097:blood; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D016823:Volvocida / Q000737:chemistry*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008934:Mitogens; D003208:Concanavalin A; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma
Dunaliella salina; antileukemia; immune responses