In vivo induction of necrosis in mice fibrosarcoma via intravenous injection of type B staphylococcal enterotoxin

Biotechnol Lett. 2008 Dec;30(12):2053-9. doi: 10.1007/s10529-008-9805-3. Epub 2008 Jul 24.

Abstract

The bacterial superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) is a potent inducer of cytotoxic T-cell activity and cytokine production in vivo. We investigated the possibility of the therapeutic application of SEB in patients with fibrosarcoma. The anti-tumor effect of SEB in mice with inoculated fibrosarcoma (WEHI-164) was examined by intravenous (IV) and intratumoral (IT) injection and the sizes of the inoculated tumors, IFN-gamma production, and CD4+/CD8+ T cell infiltration were determined. The inoculated tumors were also examined histologically. In the mice in the IV-injected group, a significant reduction (P < 0.02) of tumor size was observed in comparison with mice in the IT-injected and control groups. Furthermore, the mice in the IV-injected group showed significantly higher levels of IFN-gamma (P < 0.009) and CD4+/CD8+ T cell infiltration when compared with the other groups (P < 0.02). A significantly higher frequency of necrosis in tumor tissues was also observed in mice in the IV-injected group (P < 0.05). Our present findings suggest that tumor cell death is caused by increased cytotoxic T-cell activity and cytokine levels in response to the IV injection of SEB and that SEB may be a good option for use as a novel therapy in patients with fibrosarcoma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antigens, Bacterial / administration & dosage*
  • Antigens, Bacterial / immunology
  • Antigens, Bacterial / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis
  • Enterotoxins / administration & dosage*
  • Enterotoxins / immunology
  • Enterotoxins / pharmacology
  • Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
  • Fibrosarcoma / immunology*
  • Fibrosarcoma / pathology
  • Fibrosarcoma / therapy*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • In Situ Nick-End Labeling
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Interferon-gamma / metabolism
  • Interleukin-4 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Necrosis
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology

Substances

  • Antigens, Bacterial
  • Enterotoxins
  • Interleukin-4
  • enterotoxin B, staphylococcal
  • Interferon-gamma