Antitumor activity and immunomodulatory effects of the intraperitoneal administration of Kanglaite in vivo in Lewis lung carcinoma

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 143; no. 2; pp. 680 - 685
• Main Authors: Pan, Pei, Wu, Yan, Guo, Zhu-Ying, Wang, Rong, Wang, Yu-Jie, Yuan, Yong-Fang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Ireland Elsevier Ireland Ltd 28.09.2012
• Subjects: Animals; anticarcinogenic activity; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; body weight; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung - drug therapy; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung - metabolism; Carcinoma, Lewis Lung - pathology; cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; chemotherapy; cisplatin; Coix seed; cytoplasm; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - administration & dosage; enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; epidermal growth factor; ErbB Receptors - metabolism; growth retardation; I-kappa B Kinase - metabolism; I-kappa B Proteins - metabolism; IL-2; Immunologic Factors - administration & dosage; Immunomodulatory; immunostimulation (physiological); Injections, Intraperitoneal; interleukin-2; Interleukin-2 - immunology; intraperitoneal injection; Kanglaite; Lewis lung carcinoma; lung neoplasms; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; NF-kappa B - metabolism; NF-kappaB; NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; Organ Size - drug effects; radiotherapy; spleen; Spleen - drug effects; Spleen - metabolism; Spleen - pathology; surgery; T-Lymphocytes - cytology; T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Tumor Burden - drug effects; Western blotting; Kanglaite; Lewis lung carcinoma; NF-kappaB; IL-2; Immunomodulatory; Coix seed
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2012.07.025

Kanglaite (KLT) is a useful antitumor drug with proven effects when combined with chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. We hypothesize that KLT has antitumor activity and immunomodulatory effects in Lewis lung carcinoma. C57BL/6 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma were divided into four groups: the control group (C), cisplatin group (1mg/kg, DDP), low KLT group (6.25ml/kg body weight [L]), and high KLT group (12.5ml/kg body weight [H]). T cell proliferation was determined by the MTT assay. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), inhibitor kappa B alpha (IκBα), IκB kinase (IKK) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) levels were measured by western blotting. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to analyze the expression of interleukin-2 (IL-2). Intraperitoneal KLT significantly inhibited the growth of Lewis lung carcinoma, and the spleen index was significantly higher in the L and H groups than in the C group. KLT stimulated T cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. Treatment with KLT at either 6.25 or 12.5ml/kg decreased the level of NF-κB in the nucleus in a dose-dependent manner, and KLT markedly decreased the expression of IκBα, IKK and EGFR in the cytoplasm of tumor cells and overall. IL-2 was significantly increased in the supernatant of splenocytes in the H group. These results demonstrate that KLT has pronounced antitumor and immunostimulatory activities in C57BL/6 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. These may affect the regulation of NF-κB/IκB expression, in addition to cytokines such as IL-2 and EGFR. Further work needs to investigate the relevant signaling pathway effects, but our findings suggest that KLT may be a promising antitumor drug for clinical use. [Display omitted]