Kanglaite upregulates CD4+ T cells by inhibiting the expression of IL-1β in A549 cells

Abstract

Background: Superior clinical efficacy and safety have been demonstrated in Kanglaite combined with cisplatin compared with cisplatin- or Kanglaite-alone treatment on advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the mechanism of how Kanglaite enhances antitumor effect of cisplatin is not fully addressed. Methods: An A549 tumor-bearing mouse model was applied in this study. The tumor-bearing mice were treated with 0.9% saline, Kanglaite-alone, cisplatin-alone, or Kanglaite and cisplatin combination. Immune cell population was determined by flow cytometry assay. The production of cytokine was measured by ELISA assay. Results: The results demonstrated that Kanglaite and cisplatin combination treatment exerted the most potent effects on reducing tumor growth and prolonging mouse survival. Further studies revealed that the upregulation of CD4+ T cells and downregulation of IL-1β might be responsible for the Kanglaite-promoted antitumor effect of cisplatin on A549 tumor. Conclusion: Kanglaite serves as an excellent supplement for cisplatin in treating patients with advanced NSCLC.

Keywords

• Kanglaite
• antitumor
• cisplatin
• NSCLC