Release of cytokines by a fermented lectin- I (ML-I) free mistletoe extract reflects differences in the reactivity of PBMC in healthy and allergic individuals and tumour patients

Journal/Book: Eur. J. Clin. Pharmacol. 151 (3-4), 247-252. 1996;

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Mistletoe extracts are used in adjuvant cancer treatment, butlittle is known concerning their mode of action. There is, however,evidence that antigens in these extracts may stimulate cells of theimmune system, thereby modifying the altered immunological reactivity intumour patients. METHODS: In order to find out whether the postulatedimmunomodulatory properties of mistletoe extracts are mediated bycytokines, a spectrum of different cytokines was analysed in thesupernatants of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy(n = 23) and allergic (n = 16) individuals after stimulation with thefermented mistletoe lectin-1 (ML-1) free mistletoe extract Iscador Pini(IP) in vitro, and their cytokine patterns were compared to those fromtumour patients with either breast cancer (n = 20) or colorectal tumours(n = 22). RESULTS: PBMC from healthy and allergic individuals producedhigh levels of TNF-alpha and IL-6 and to a lesser extent Th1- andTh2-related cytokines. This finding was in contrast to data obtained intumour patients. Thus, the concentration of TNF-alpha was significantlylower in the cell cultures from breast cancer patients than in controls,and patients with colorectal tumours released IFN-gamma/IL-2 (5%) in thesupernatants significantly less frequently than PBMC from healthycontrols (26%). Similar results were obtained when the Th1- andmonocyte/macrophage-related cytokines were analysed in the unstimulatedcell cultures. CONCLUSIONS: These in vitro studies provide evidence thatthere is a reduced immunological reactivity to the fermented ML-1 freemistletoe extract in tumour patients and may give some clues as to howmistletoe-derived antigens could act on immune cells involved in thetumour defence. Author.

Keyword(s): ADULT

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