title: The Chinese Herbal Mixture Tien-Hsien Liquid Augments the Anticancer Immunity in Tumor Cell-Vaccinated Mice.
abstract: The Chinese herbal mixture, Tien-Hsien liquid (THL), has been used as an anticancer dietary supplement for more than 20 years. Our previous studies have shown that THL can modulate immune responseand inhibit tumor growth. In this study, we further evaluated the effect of THL on anticancer immune response in mice vaccinated with γ-ray-irradiated tumor cells.
  
  
  
  The antitumor effect of THL was determined in mice vaccinated with low-tumorigenic CT-26-low colon cancer cells or γ-ray-irradiated high-tumorigenic CT-26-high colon cancer cells. The number of natural killer (NK) cells and T lymphocytes in the spleen was analyzed by flow cytometry. The tumor-killing activities of NK cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) were analyzed by flow cytometry using YAC-1 and CT-26-high cells, respectively, as target cells. The levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α were determined by ELISA.
  
  
  
  THL suppressed the growth of CT-26-high tumor in mice previously vaccinated with low-tumorigenic CT-26-low cells or γ-irradiated CT-26-high cells. THL increased the populations of NK cells and CD4+ T lymphocytes in the spleen and enhanced the tumor-killing activities of NK cells and CTL in mice vaccinated with γ-irradiated CT-26-high cells. THL increased the production of IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α in mice vaccinated with γ-irradiated CT-26-high cells.
  
  
  
  THL can enhance the antitumor immune responses in mice vaccinated with killed tumor cells. These results suggest that THL may be used as a complementary medicine for cancer patients previously treated with killed tumor cell vaccines, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: 1 College of Medical Science and Technology, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Ming
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jia-Ling
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Du
authors.affiliation: 3 College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors.forename: George Nian-Kae
authors.initials: GN
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 4 School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Jean-San
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wei-Bin
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pin-Ching
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.affiliation: 4 School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: 4 School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chun-Pin
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Chiang
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Won-Bo
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007109:Immunity / Q000187:drug effects*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C492794:tien-hsien liquid; D007371:Interferon-gamma
keywords: Tien-Hsien liquid; anticancer immunity; cytotoxic T lymphocyte; herbal mixture; interferon-γ; interleukin-2; natural killer cell; tumor necrosis factor α; tumor suppression