جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « Shark Cartilage » در نشریات گروه « پزشکی »

Background and

Gastric cancer is the third most common cancer in Iran and the second leading cause cancer-related death worldwide. Shark cartilage prevents angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro، however، its role on angiogenesis or anti-tumor responses in human is not clear yet. We studied the effects of oral treatment of shark cartilage on peripheral Treg frequency and TGF-β as suppressor activity and Treg cells inducer associated with TH1/TH2 cytokines pattern in patients with gastric cancer.

This study included 23 patients suffering from intestinal gastric cancer who were assigned into intervention (n=14) and control group (n=9). A month after conventional treatment the patients in intervention group were given three tablets (150mg) of shark cartilage daily for 20 days. Then flow cytometry was employed to determine whether the peripheral blood mononuclear cells such as CD4+CD25+Foxp3highT regulatory cells in patients with gastric cancer were changed correspondingly.

The results demonstrated that γ-IFN increased and IL-4 decreased in the intervention group. But، no changes were seen in Treg cells frequency and amounts of TGF-β. The evaluations for control group showed no significant difference.

Shark cartilage amplified anti-tumor responses in patients with gastric cancer by increase in γ-IFN (TH1 immunity) and decrease in IL-4 (TH2 immunity).

Shark cartilage is one of the complementary medicines for cancer patients that inhibits tumor progression by several mechanisms. There is not sufficient evidence on its effects on human immune system thereby we investigated its modulatory effects on some cellular immune response parameters in breast cancer patients. After preparation of shark cartilage powder and its distribution in capsules, drug packages were coded. Test group patients consumed shark cartilage and control group consumed starch capsules according to the specified protocol, along with hormone therapy. Blood samples were taken before and after treatment. After isolating and culturing mononuclear cells, the quantity of IL4, IFNγ, as well as CD4+T/CD8+T percentage and ratio were evaluated by ELISA, and Flow cytometry techniques. After treatment, there was a significant increase in the quantity of IFNγ, lymphocyte proliferation and CD4T/CD8T ratio in test group patients, while there was not a significant change in these parameters in control group. It seems that shark cartilage could help strengthen cellular immunity which is important in tumor regression in breast cancer patients. So we suppose that it could be a good candidate for cancer treatment along with conventional medicine.

Sharks get cancer rarely. A major difference between these animals and other species is that sharks have a great amount of cartilaginous tissue. Immunomodulatory effects of the cartilage of some species (cow) have been proved. Because the immune system has a major role in the defense of the body against cancer, we studied the effects of shark cartilage on the mouse and human immune system. In an experimental study, the effects of different doses of shark cartilage on humoral (antibody titer) immune response against sheep red blood cells (SRBC), were measured in mouse. In addition, we evaluated the modulatory effects of the shark cartilage on the natural killer (NK) activity of the peritoneal cells of mouse against a tumor cell line called K562, according to the standard methods. The proliferative response of the human peripheral blood mononuclear cells was measured under the influence of shark cartilage. Pure shark cartilage enhanced antibody response against SRBC in vivo. The hemagglutination titer which was 1/147 in the control group (injected with hen cartilage), increased to 1/1355 in the test group. The optimal dose was 100 mg/ml. both type of cartilage had blastogenic effect on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (the blastogenic index was 6.7 and 4.9 for impure shark cartilage and hen cartilage, respectively). NK activity was inhibited completely by pure shark cartilage (the amount of the killing activity of the effector peritoneal cells for the control and test groups against target cells was 25.9% and 5.5% respectively). Shark cartilage has a potent immunomodulatory effect on the specific immune mechanisms and some inhibitory effects on the innate immune mechanisms such as NC activity. Since the specific immunity has a more pivotal role against tumor formation, shark cartilage can be used as a cancer immunotherapeutic.