Synergistic enhancement of tumor vaccine efficacy mediated by herbal medicines

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24501335
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Tumor immunology
• Research Institution: Nippon Medical School
• Principal Investigator: TAKAKU SHUN 日本医科大学, 医学部, 講師 (50445813)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 漢方薬 / アジュバント / ワクチン

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we investigated the anti-tumor effect by an oral administration of a Japanese herbal medicine, Ninjin-Yoei-To (NYT), in conjunction with or without an irradiated tumor cell vaccine. When mice were fed with control diet, the irradiated tumor cell vaccine in prophylactic setting somewhat delayed tumor growth, although NYT-mixed diet alone did not show any anti-tumor effect. Nonetheless, tumor growth was significantly inhibited in vaccinated mice treated with NYT and depletion of CD8+ T cells completely abrogated the tumor vaccine efficacy. The anti-tumor immunity was augmented only when vaccinated mice were fed with NYT throughout the experiments, but neither before nor after tumor challenge. Taken together, these data indicated that NYT feeding synergistically enhances prophylactic vaccine efficacy mediated by CD8+ T cells and that such Japanese herbal medicines may be useful as excellent adjuvants for cancer immunotherapy.

Free Research Field

腫瘍免疫学