The Effects of Biological Response Modification and Diet on the Immune Respose of Tumor-bearing mice

The effect that diet and other modifiers may have upon the immune system of BALB/c mice bearing tumor were studied, mice were injected s.c. with 106 herpes simplex virus Type 2- Adult male BALB/c transformed (H238) cells in the thigh causing a visible fibrosarcoma within 1-2 weeks. Mice were fed either a diet low in protein (milk) and low in fat (Diet 1), or another diet low in protein (wheat) and high in fat (Diet 8). Spleen cells were collected for assays of cytotoxic T-lynphocyte (CTL) and natural killer (NK) cell activity. At 3 weeks post-injection, a decrease in CTL activity against H238 tumor cells was observed but no change in NK activity against H238 or K562 targets was seen. Spleen cells were treated In vitro with mouse interferon, rat interleukin-2, 2-amino-5-bromo-6-methyl-4-pyrimidinone (ABMP), Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), singly and in combination, for 2 hours prior to mixing with target cells. Treated spleen cells from Diet 1 tumor-bearing animals at 3-6 weeks post-injection had substantially increased CIL response while those from Diet 8 mice were only slightly enhanced. Interferon, interleukin-2 and prostaglandin E1 most effective. NK activity remained essentially unchanged regardless were of diet group or modifying treatment