Masahiro Nagamuta

Release of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) into mouse peritoneal fluids by OK-432, a streptococcal preparation.

A cytotoxic factor was induced in peritoneal fluid by injection of OK-432 in mice which had been primed with OK-432. Two-step stimulation (priming and eliciting) was always necessary to induce the cytotoxic factor. OK-432-primed mice did not produce soluble cytotoxic factor spontaneously and no cytotoxic activity was detected in the mice treated by a single injection of OK-432 as an eliciting agent. This observation was also confirmed by in vitro experiments. Only when activated macrophages were incubated with OK-432 (or with lipopolysaccharide) was cytotoxin released into medium supernatant. High doses of OK-432 were required to prime mice for the production of cytotoxic factor, whereas a small amount was enough to elicit. The peritoneal cytotoxic factor obtained by OK-432 injection appears to be identical to tumor necrosis factor in the serum for the following reasons: The two factors are similar in mode of cytotoxic action. Both are produced from macrophages. They are similar in physicochemical characteristics. The cytotoxicity of the peritoneal cytotoxic factor was totally abolished by anti-TNF serum.

Therapeutic Effect of Endogenous Tumor Necrosis Factor on Ascites Meth A Sarcoma

The therapeutic effect of endogenous tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on Meth A ascites fibrosarcoma in mice was investigated. Serum and peritoneal fluid from tumor bearing mice treated with OK-432 and LPS were cytotoxic to tumor cells in vitro. The peak of cytotoxicity in both the serum and peritoneal fluid was found in the fraction corresponding to a molecular weight of approximately 54,000-56,000 on HPLC and the pI was found to be 4.9-5.1 by isoelectric focusing. These results are consistent with previously reported findings on TNF, and indicate that endogenous TNF has a satisfactory life-prolonging effect. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is considered to be one of the clinically most promising anti-cancer cytokines because of its potent and very specific antitumor effect on target cells (Carswell, Old, Kassel, Green, Fiore & Williamson, 1975; Matthews & Watkins, 1978; Niitsu, Watanabe & Urushizaki, 1984). TNF as an anti-cancer cytokine for the treatment of cancer may be applied in one of the two following ways: by administration of purified TNF or by endogenously inducing TNF in cancer bearing individuals. The antitumor effects of TNF administered exogenously have been examined using crude preparations or serum containing TNF (tumor necrosis serum, TNS) (Carswell et al., 1975; Watanabe, Niitsu, Sone, Neda, Ishigaki & Urushizaki, 1984). In a previous paper we reported that mice primed with OK-432 and challenged with endotoxin produced a soluble cytotoxic factor in peritoneal fluids (Yamamoto, Nagamuta, Usami, Sugawara, Watanabe, Niitsu & Urushizaki, 1985; Nagamuta, Yamamoto, Usami, Sugawara, Watanabe, Niitsu & Urushizaki, 1985). Ths peritoneal cytotoxic factor (PCF) had cytostatic and/or cytotoxic effect not only on mouse tumor cell lines but also on human tumor cell lines without species specificity. Normal cell lines were not affected. Here we report the endogenous production of TNF in tumor bearing mice and its antitumor effects.

Structure–activity relationships of bioisosteric replacement of the carboxylic acid in novel androgen receptor pure antagonists

A series of 5,5-dimethylthiohydantoin derivatives were synthesized and evaluated for androgen receptor pure antagonistic activities for the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer. CH4933468 (32d) with a sulfonamide side chain not only exhibited antagonistic activity with no agonistic activity in the reporter gene assay but also inhibited the growth of bicalutamide-resistant cell lines. This compound also inhibited tumor growth of the LNCaP xenograft in mice dose-dependently.

Photoallergenicity of a Fluoroquinolone Antibacterial Agent with a Fluorine Substituent at the 8-Position in Guinea Pigs Exposed to Long-Wavelength UV Light

The 8-position of the quinolone ring of balofloxacin (BLFX), one of fluoroquinolones, was replaced with fluorine to obtain the 8-F. When an aqueous solution of bovine serum albumin (BSA) containing the 8-F was exposed to long-wavelength UV light (UVA) at a rate of 2.5 J/cm2, the absorbance of BSA at 300 nm or longer wavelengths increased markedly in comparison to that of native BSA. In addition, when a homogenate of skin tissue from Hartley guinea pigs was exposed to UVA (2.5 J/cm2) in the presence of the 8-F and then injected subcutaneously into guinea pigs, the animals produced IgG class antibody specific to the 8-F and its UVA-irradiation product. No such phenomenon, however, was observed when the parent compound, i.e., BLFX which possesses a methoxy group at the 8-position, was used instead of the 8-F. In a subsequent experiment, the 8-F was administered either orally or topically to the shaved neck of guinea pigs and then irradiated with UVA (5 J/cm2) once daily for 5 days. When the treated animals were challenged by a combination of UVA irradiation (5 J/cm2) and either an oral or intradermal administration of the 8-F, 2 and 3 of the 5 animals showed redness and erythema on the irradiated area, respectively. However, no change was observed when BLFX was used instead of the 8-F. These results suggest that the introduction of a fluorine substituent to the 8-position of quinoline ring of fluoroquinolones induces photoallergic responses in which the fluoroquinolone or its photo-denatured product(s) act as an allergen.

Production of cytotoxic factor into mouse peritoneal fluid by OK-432, a streptococcal preparation

A cytotoxic factor was induced by the injection of LPS into the peritoneal fluids of mice which had been previously primed with a streptococcal antitumor preparation, OK-432. No cytotoxic effect on L-929 cells was observed in the peritoneal fluids of mice singly treated with OK-432 or LPS. Various mouse and human tumor cell lines were effectively killed by this peritoneal cytotoxic factor, though normal cell lines were insensitive, which indicates that this factor is not species-specific. The highest level of cytotoxic activity was obtained when LPS was given to mice 5 days after the injection of OK-432. The optimal time for collection of peritoneal fluids for the cytotoxic factor was 2 h following the LPS injection. Interferon activity was found to be negative by the plaque reduction test using L-929 cells with vesicular stomatitis virus. These results suggest that this cytotoxic factor is similar to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the mouse serum.

Therapeutic Effect of Ok-432 Induced Endogenous Tnf on Tumor Bearing Mice and Cancer Patients

The therapeutic effect of OK-432 induced endogenous TNF on tumor bearing mice and cancer patients was investigated. OK-432 (10 KE/mouse) was administered intraperitoneally to Balb/c mice 7 days prior to the transplantation of Meth A cells (1 x 10(6)/mouse) into the abdominal cavity. And at day 1 of tumor inoculation, 1 KE/mouse of OK-432 was administered intraperitoneally. The significant prolongation of life span was observed in these mice. On the basis of these observation, therapeutic effect of endogenous TNF on cancer patients was clinically evaluated. OK-432 was administered intraperitoneally or intrapleurally to cancer patients with peritonitis carcinomatosa or pleuritis carcinomatosa 4 times (10KE each) every other day and 50KE of OK-432 was readministered with the interval of 7 days. An appreciable activity of TNF was detected in peritoneal fluids or pleural effusion, and the significant decreasing of these fluids was observed. It is therefore concluded that these therapeutic approach may well be taken into account in treatment of cancer.

Characterization of a cytotoxic factor induced in mouse peritoneal fluid by OK-432☆

A cytotoxic factor (peritoneal cytotoxic factor, PCF) was strongly induced by the injection of LPS into the peritoneal fluids of mice which had been previously primed with OK-432. In order to clarify characteristics of PCF, physicochemical and immunological studies were conducted. When incubated with LPS, the macrophages from mice primed with OK-432 induced PCF whereas the lymphocytes did not. These results indicate that PCF is different from lymphotoxin. PCF appears to be quite similar to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the serum for the following reasons: The two factors are similar in the mode of cytotoxic action in vitro; both factors have a tumor necrotizing effect when injected into tumor bearing mice; both are produced from macrophages; they are similar in physicochemical characteristics; and the cytotoxic activity of PCF is totally abolished by anti-TNF serum.