Issue Date
1990Keywords
Biology, Microbiology.Health Sciences, Nutrition.
Health Sciences, Immunology.
Health Sciences, Oncology.
Advisor
Watson, Ronald R.
Metadata
Show full item recordPublisher
The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
Canthaxanthin (CX), a non-provitamin A carotenoid, has been shown to exert a variety of effects on cells of the immune system and to have tumor-specific cytopathic effects in vivo and in vitro. In the present study, CX was shown to inhibit the in vitro growth of three murine tumor cell lines, JB/MS melanoma, B16F10 melanoma, and PYB6 fibrosarcoma. This effect was dose-dependent up to a concentration of CX of 10⁻⁴M. In contrast, the growth of NIH-3T3 fibroblasts was enhanced following a 96 hr incubation with 10⁻⁴M CX. A dietary supplement of 1% CX retarded tumor growth in LP-BM5 retrovirus-infected female C57BL/6 mice after tumor challenge, but had no effect on tumor growth in normal, uninfected animals. Although, NK activity and T and B subpopulations were not modified by dietary CX after tumor challenge, irrespective of whether mice had been virus-infected, there was a slight enhancement of mitogen-stimulated IFN-τ production by virus-infected murine spleen cells when compared with non-infected cells. We suggest that CX has potential as a modifier of cancer cell growth, especially in situation where impairment of the immune system has occurred as a result of viral infection.Type
textThesis-Reproduction (electronic)
Degree Name
M.S.Degree Level
mastersDegree Program
Graduate CollegeMicrobiology and Immunology