Immunomodulatory effects of VISCUM ALBUM agglutinin-I on natural immunity

Journal/Book: Anti-Cancer-Drugs 8 (suppl.1), 43-46. 1997;

Abstract: In 24 h cultured human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, treated withvarious (1 mug/ml to 1 ng/ml) concentrations of *Viscum* albumagglutinin-I, quantitative assessment of DNA breaks labelled withterminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase revealed a dose-dependent *Viscum*album agglutinin-I-induced apoptosis above a lectin concentration of 10ng/ml. After 24 h incubation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells withnon-cytotoxic concentrations of *Viscum* album agglutinin-I (10 and 1ng/ml), messenger (m)RNA expression and secretion of a panel ofcytokines were evaluated by reverse polymerase chain reaction and byenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), respectively. The lectininduced expression of interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-1beta,interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma,granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor and interleukin-10 genes,but no expression of interleukin-2 or interferon-gamma production couldbe detected. In addition, cellular components of the natural immunesystem (such as monocytes and granulocytes) bound *Viscum* albumagglutinin-I molecules to a higher degree than lymphocytes. To establishthe modulatory potency of *Viscum* album agglutinin-I on the naturalimmunity of human subjects, four randomized, double-blind crossovertrials were performed on healthy volunteers. In contrast to thesignificant lectin-induced increases in number and activity of naturalkiller cells observed in animal models, in the first and second trialhuman healthy individuals showed no significant differences betweentheir natural killer responses following an injection of lectin-enrichedpreparation or saline. Due to considerable intrinsic fluctuation ofthese parameters, a third and fourth double-blind trial with freshlyisolated *Viscum* album agglutinin-I was performed using a more rapidlydetectable parameter, the priming of granulocytes. Here, significantlectin-induced increases were found.COPYRIGHT BY Elsevier Science BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands END OF DOCUMENT

Keyword(s): Medical:immunomodulation

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