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Effect of a thymic factor, thymostimulin, on growth and pulmonary metastases of Lewis lung carcinoma

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Summary

The antitumor and antimetastatic activities of a thymic factor, thymostimulin (TP-1), with or without cyclophosphamide (CPA) were examined in C57BL/6 mice inoculated with Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL).

Tumor growth was followed by determining the tumor diameter after tumor implantation. TP-1 given to mice every 2 days after tumor implantation significantly inhibited tumor growth without affecting the survival rate.

For induction of spontaneous pulmonary metastases, 3LL cells were implanted into the footpads of mice, and the implanted tumor was removed on day 9. The antimetastatic effect of TP-1 on pulmonary metastases after removal of the primary tumor was evaluated by counting the number of pulmonary surface nodules. TP-1 showed antimetastatic activity depending on its time of administration and dose. Combined therapy with TP-1 plus CPA significantly prolonged the survival of mice with pulmonary metastases.

The cytolytic activities of spleen cells on 3LL cells were enhanced in mice treated with TP-1 and/or CPA and the cytolytic activity of nonadherent spleen cells, the T-cell population, was enhanced.

The role of cytolytic spleen cells in inhibiting and preventing metastases was discussed.

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Abbreviations

TP-1:

thymic factor, thymostimulin

3LL:

Lewis lung carcinoma

CPA:

cyclophosphamide

CCNU:

1- (2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea

BCNU:

1,3-bis (2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea

FCS:

fetal calf serum

SD:

standard deviation

SE:

standard error

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Third Department of Internal Medicine, The University of Tokushima, School of Medicine, Kuramoto-cho 2, 770, Tokushima, Japan

    Masato Yagi, Takashi Yamashita & Eiro Tsubura

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  1. Masato Yagi
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  2. Takashi Yamashita
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  3. Eiro Tsubura
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This work was supported in part by grants from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Japan

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Yagi, M., Yamashita, T. & Tsubura, E. Effect of a thymic factor, thymostimulin, on growth and pulmonary metastases of Lewis lung carcinoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 19, 198–204 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199226

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00199226

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