Adjuvant histamine in cancer immunotherapy

Semin Cancer Biol. 2000 Feb;10(1):29-39. doi: 10.1006/scbi.2000.0305.

Abstract

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is an effective activator of lymphocytes with anti-neoplastic properties such as T-cells or natural killer cells, and this property of IL-2 has formed the basis for its widespread used as an immunotherapeutic agent in human neoplastic disease. In recent years, IL-2 therapy for solid neoplastic diseases and hematopoietic cancers has been supplemented with histamine dihydrochloride with the aim of counteracting immunosuppressive signals from monocytes/macrophages. Here we review the preclinical basis for the use of histamine as an adjunct to IL-2 in cancer immunotherapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chemotherapy, Adjuvant
  • Histamine / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Interleukin-2 / therapeutic use*
  • Lymphocyte Activation / immunology
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Mice
  • Monocytes / immunology
  • Neoplasms / immunology
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • T-Lymphocyte Subsets / immunology

Substances

  • Interleukin-2
  • Histamine