Yoshio Kawai

Production of antiserum against antitumor protein-bound polysaccharide preparation, PSK (Krestin) and its pharmacological application.

Antiserum against a protein-bound polysaccharide preparation (PSK) was produced by immunizing New Zealand White rabbits with PSK. The intestinal absorption of PSK in mice was visualized by indirect immunofluorescent staining with anti-PSK serum. The change in blood levels of 14C after oral administration of 14C-PSK and the recovery of 14C by antiserum were determined. The results indicated that antigenic epitopes in PSK are not completely destroyed during the process of digestion, absorption and distribution, but the changes of serum levels of 14C radioactivity differ from those of immunoreactive radioactivity. These results suggest that multiple processes are involved in the fate of PSK administered orally.

Antitumor and other effects of 24R,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol in Lewis lung carcinoma causing abnormal calcium metabolism in tumor-bearing mice.

Lewis lung carcinoma was found to cause hypercalcemia in tumor-bearing mice. 24R,25(OH)2D3 (K-DR, prepared by Kureha Chemical Ind.) significantly prolonged the survival time of mice with Lewis lung carcinoma. K-DR exhibited an antimetastatic effect on Lewis lung carcinoma, and also had an analgesic effect in mice with Lewis lung carcinoma.

Effect of PSK, a protein-bound polysaccharide from Coriolus versicolor, on drug-metabolizing enzymes in sarcoma-180 bearing and normal mice

The effects of PSK and Propionibacterium acnes (anaerobic Corynebacterium) on hepatic drug-metabolizing enzymes were studied using sarcoma-180 bearing and non-tumor bearing mice. PSK had no influence on aminopyrine N-demethylase and aniline hydroxylase activities, cytochrome P-450 concentration in hepatic microsomes, and the reductase activity of cytochrome c in normal mice. The content of cytochrome P-450 was not significantly reduced in S-180 bearing mice. On the other hand, P. acnes administration significantly decreased the amount of cytochromes P-450 and b5 and aminopyrine N-demethylase activity. When FT-207 (Tegafur) was administered orally to S-180 bearing mice combined with the immunoadjuvants, only P. acnes significantly reduced the 5-FU levels in the serum and some organs.

Cytotoxic Effects of 24/R,25-Dihydroxycholecalciferol on the Proliferation of Various Tumor Cell Lines in vitro and Its Antitumor Effects in vivo

24R,25(OH)2D3, one of the endogenous active metabolites of vitamin D3, showed suppressive effects on the proliferation of various tumor cells in vitro, and showed a suppressive effect on the growth of human osteosarcoma transplanted in nude mice. 24R,25(OH)2D3 increased bone strength lowered by the tumor burden which causes abnormal calcium metabolism and results in hypercalcemia.