Effects of the Antitumor Component, F-D-P, Isolated from Elfvingia applanata on the Immune Response

An antitumor component, F-D-P, was purified from the hot water extract of the carpophores of Elfvingia applanata by precipitation with ethanol, dialysis, and passage through a column of DEAE-cellulose ion exchange. F-D-P inhibited the growth of Sarcoma 180 in mice showing the tumor inhibition ratio of 88.3% in doses of 20 mg/kg for ten days. Chemical analysis of F-D-P showed that it was composed of polysaccharide(65.3%) and protein(6.5%0, and that the monosaccharides consisting of the polysaccharide was glucose(89.1%) and mannose(10.9%). The immunomodulatory activities of F-D-P were explored by determining its effect on the proliferation of the whole and subpopulations of lymphocytes, and on the generation of natural killer(NK) cell activity in vitro. F-D-P was mitogenic to total lymphocytes and B cells, but not to purified T cells, even in the presence of accessory cells. F-D-P did not increase NK cell activity when added to cultures of resting lymphocytes. From these results, it is clear that F-D-P modulates primarily the humoral immune responeses.