Bee Venom Component Helps Boost Antitumor Action

Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 and Phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-Bisphosphate Exert Antitumor Action
Drug Week, 10/6/2006

The cooperation of bee venom secretory phospholipase A2 and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate exerts antitumor action and immune activation.

According to researchers in Austria, "We evaluated tumor cell growth modulation by bee venom secretory phospholipase A2 (bv-sPLA2) and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate as well as potential cooperative effects. In addition, the immunomodulatory impact of tumor cell treatment was examined by monitoring changes in phenotype and function of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) co-cultured with pretreated tumor cells."

"Bv-sPLA2 or phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate alone displayed moderate effects on the proliferation of A498 renal cell carcinoma cells, T-47D breast cancer cells, DU145 prostate cancer cells and BEAS-2B transformed lung cells," said Thomas Putz and colleagues at the University of Innsbruck. "However, when bv-sPLA2 was co-administered with phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate a potent inhibition of [H] thymidine incorporation into all tested cell lines occurred."

"This inhibition was due to massive cell lysis that reduced the number of cells with proliferative capacity," stated Putz and his collaborators. "Importantly, tumor cell lysates generated with bv-sPLA2 plus phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate induced maturation of human moDCs demonstrated by enhanced expression of CD83 and improved stimulation in allogeneic mixed leukocyte reactions."

The researchers concluded, "Our data demonstrate that bv-sPLA2 and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate synergistically generate tumor lysates which enhance the maturation of immunostimulatory human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Putz and his coauthors published their study in Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy (Antitumor action and immune activation through cooperation of bee venom secretory phospholipase A2 and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate. Cancer Immunol Immunother, 2006;55(11):1374-1383).

For additional information, contact Martin Thurnher, Department of Urology, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. E-mail: martin.thurnher@uibk.ac.at.