INFLUENCE OF MISTLETOE LECTIN ADMINISTRATION ON DEFINED ACUTE-PHASE REACTANTS IN CANCER-PATIENTS

The influence of galactoside-specific mistletoe lectin (ML-1) administ ration on defined acute phase reactants in the serum of cancer patient s (mammary carcinoma, n = 4; larynx carcinoma, n = 11; TNM-stages II t o IV; after appropriate surgery, chemotherapy, radiatio) was studied. Regular subcutaneous injections of the optimal dosis of ML-1 (1 ng/kg body weight, twice a week) yielded statistically significant increases of certain acute phase reactans (C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, coe ruloplasmin, C3-complement, albumin, immunglobulin IgM) after four wee ks of treatment. However, serum concentrations of transferrin, C4-comp lement and the immunglobulins IgG and IgA were found within the biolog ical range (xBAR +/- 2 s). The increase of acute phase reactans after administration of ML-1 correlates positively with the activity of lymp hatic cells (e.g. expression of IL-2 and HLA-DR receptors) in FACS (fl uorescence-activated cell sorter) staining experiments and indicates t he immunoreactive potency of this substance which may be speculated to be cytokin-induced.