Potentiation of T cell immunity against radiation-leukemia-virus-induced lymphoma by polysaccharide K

Eitan Yefenof*, Edna Einat, Eva Klein

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

C57BL mice inoculated with radiation leukemia virus (RadLV) develop preleukemic cells long before the onset of leukemia. These cells are potentially immunogenic but fail to elicit an immune response in the host because of the appearance of virus-specific suppressor T cells. We have studied the effect of polysaccharide K (PSK) on the generation of RadLV-specific cell-mediated immune responses in vitro. Long-term exposure to PSK in culture potentiated the ability of immunized T cells to respond to a RadLV-induced lymphoma. It also abrogated the suppressive activity of suppressor T cells and simultaneously boosted the ability of reactive T cells to respond. The dual immunostimulating activity of PSK resulted in the generation of T cytotoxic lymphocytes that could lyse lymphoma cells in vitro. The results suggest that PSK could be used as a prophylactic immune response modifier in preleukemia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)133-137
Number of pages5
JournalCancer Immunology, Immunotherapy
Volume34
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 1991

Keywords

  • Immunomodulator PSK
  • RadLV lymphoma
  • T cells

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