Kampo treatment for malignant melanoma

• Project/Area Number: 26460922
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General internal medicine(including psychosomatic medicine)
• Research Institution: Showa University
• Principal Investigator: Hisamitsu Tadashi 昭和大学, 医学部, 教授 (20167604)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 石川 慎太郎 昭和大学, 医学部, 講師 (70439355) ; 砂川 正隆 昭和大学, 医学部, 准教授 (20514467)
• Project Period (FY): 2014-04-01 – 2017-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2016)
• Budget Amount: ¥3,640,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥840,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2015: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000); Fiscal Year 2014: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000)
• Keywords: 東洋医学 / 漢方薬 / 十全大補湯 / 悪性黒色腫 / 転移抑制 / 免疫チェックポイント薬 / 免疫学 / 創薬 / トランスレーショナルリサーチ / 病態生理学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Medical care in Japan treats cancer patients by fusing western medicine and Kampo medicine. Juzentaihoto (JTT) has also been reported to prevent cancer metastasis and recurrence. In this study, we examined the JTT efficacy for natural killer (NK) cell activity, and on the metastasis characteristics by the combination with the anti PD-1 antibody using melanoma metastasis model mice.
JTT significantly suppressed of mouse malignant melanoma metastasis, B16 cell metastasis, but injection of anti asialo-GM1 antibody into mice abrogated inhibitory action of JTT on tumor cell metastasis. JTT significantly increased Interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon (IFN)-γ level in serum, and NK cell activity. JTT increased inhibitory action of anti PD-1 antibody on B16 cell metastasis. The results suggested that JTT inhibits B16 cell metastasis through NK cell activity. Additionally, therapies of combination with JTT and anti PD-1 antibody appear to be a means of increasing response rates for melanoma.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Efficacy of Juzentaihoto for Tumor Immunotherapy in B16 Melanoma Metastasis Model (2017)
  • Author(s): Ishikawa S, Ishikawa T, Tezuka C, Asano K, Sunagawa M, Hisamitsu T
  • Journal Title: Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Volume: 2017 Issue: 1 Pages: 6054706-6054706
  • DOI: 10.1155/2017/6054706
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] Suppressive effect of Hochuekkito on lung metastasis of B16 melanoma cells in mice (2016)
  • Author(s): 久光正, 石川慎太郎, 石井雅人
  • Organizer: 第93回 日本生理学会大会
  • Place of Presentation: 北海道・札幌
  • Year and Date: 2016-03-22