roquinimex and Melanoma

Thirty-one patients with advanced renal carcinoma or malignant melanoma were treated in the first feasibility study of alpha-interferon (Roferon) and the new oral immunomodulating agent, Linomide. Linomide 5 mg or 10 mg p.o. daily was given for 2 weeks; alpha-interferon was then added at 3 MU s.c. three times weekly, escalating in each patient by 3 MU per week, if tolerable, up to 12 MJ. The combination was poorly tolerated with nausea, vomiting, somnolence and myalgia commonly reported. Adverse events accounted for treatment withdrawal in ten patients and contributed to withdrawal in four other patients. Treatment with Linomide alone in the first 2 weeks led to a significant increase in white blood cells, neutrophils and platelets. When alpha-interferon was added, the platelet count decreased significantly over the following 6 weeks. Nineteen patients had white cell phenotype and function measured. After 2 weeks of 5 mg Linomide, a transient but significant decrease in the absolute number of activated T-helper cells (CD4+DR+) was observed. No changes in natural killer (NK) cell number or activity were observed. Twenty-two patients were evaluable for response. One with metastatic renal cell carcinoma had a complete response and six had stable disease. This study does not support the use of the combination because significant toxicity was seen without the anticipated immunological benefits.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Adult; Aged; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Feasibility Studies; Humans; Hydroxyquinolines; Interferon-alpha; Kidney Neoplasms; Male; Melanoma; Middle Aged; Treatment Outcome

In the current study we examine parameters affecting the metastasis of ocular tumors of in vivo derived B16F10 melanoma. In C57BL/6J beige (bg/bg) mice, with low NK activity, metastasis to the lungs was increased and survival time decreased. In C57BL/6J normal (+/+) mice treatment with PK136, a highly specific monoclonal anti-NK antibody (Ab), caused a depletion of NK cytotoxic activity, as demonstrated using a standard 51Cr release assay. In animals bearing ocular tumors, treatment with PK136 Ab resulted in significantly increased pulmonary metastasis and an altered pattern of metastasis. The effect of combined treatment protocols using LS2616 (linomide) and cyclophosphamide (Cy) was examined in enucleated and unenucleated animals. Treatment with LS2616 and Cy resulted in a significant decrease in mean pulmonary metastases (MPM), a decreased frequency of metastasis to the submandibular lymph nodes and an increase in mean survival time. In enucleated mice this combined treatment protocol resulted in apparent cures, the lowest MPM and the longest survival time observed. When tumor-bearing mice were treated with either silica, carrageenan or sublethal gamma irradiation, no effect on metastasis or survival was observed. This study demonstrates the importance of the NK cell as a primary effector cell for the control of metastasis from in vivo derived ocular B16F10 melanoma.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Cyclophosphamide; Eye Enucleation; Eye Neoplasms; Female; Hydroxyquinolines; Killer Cells, Natural; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Melanoma; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL

In experiments using cultured cells, LS2616 has been shown to decrease growth of primary tumors and pulmonary metastasis of murine melanoma. In the current study, we examine the efficacy of LS2616 for the prophylactic and therapeutic treatment of metastases from ocular and flank inoculations of the highly aggressive in vivo derived B16F10 melanoma in C57BL/6J mice. Experimental animals were treated with 160 mg/kg/day of this drug in drinking water, until they became moribund or died. When mice were pretreated for 7 days and inoculated subcutaneously (sc) or intracamerally (ic) with 10(5) in vivo derived B16F10 tumor cells, the mean number of pulmonary metastases was significantly reduced, and the incidence of pulmonary metastases decreased. In ocular experiments, when pretreatment with drug was combined with enucleation at day 7, the mean number of lung nodules was significantly reduced, the incidence of metastasis to the lung and lymph nodes decreased and survival increased. An apparent cure rate of 31% was observed. Treatment beginning on the day of enucleation (day 7) resulted in a reduction of pulmonary metastases, a decrease in metastasis to the lungs and lymph nodes and no change in survival. LS2616 did not alter tumorigenicity of either sc or ic inoculations. In an in vivo neutralization assay, spleen cells of mice treated for 7 days with LS2616 demonstrated an increase in cytostatic or cytotoxic activity when incubated with B16F10 melanoma cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Topics: Animals; Eye Enucleation; Eye Neoplasms; Female; Hydroxyquinolines; Lung Neoplasms; Male; Melanoma; Mice; Skin Neoplasms; Spleen; Tumor Cells, Cultured

The carboxamide-quinoline LS 2616 is a novel immunomodulator augmenting natural killer (NK) cell activity and T-lymphocyte related effector functions. To investigate the possible usefulness of LS 2616 in immunotherapy of tumors, the effect of the substance on growth and metastasis of the B16-F10 melanoma in syngeneic C57BL/6 mice was investigated. Treatment with LS 2616 from the time of s.c. inoculation of B16-F10 cells significantly reduced tumor take. Continuous treatment of mice with LS 2616 initiated 4 days prior to i.v. injection of tumor cells reduced the number of pulmonary metastases by 85%. When treatment with LS 2616 was started 4 days after i.v. injection of tumor cells, a time when established tumor foci were readily detectable in the lungs, a significant reduction in the number of pulmonary metastases resulted. LS 2616 significantly reduced the number of spontaneous pulmonary metastases developing from a B16-F10 tumor growing in the footpad. When treatment with LS 2616 was initiated after the establishment of grossly visible spontaneous pulmonary metastases, no significant effect on the number of metastases was found after 2 weeks of treatment. However, combined treatment with a dose of cyclophosphamide which in itself was ineffective resulted in a statistically significant 70% reduction in the number of remaining pulmonary metastases. Injection of antibodies to asialomonoganglioside which strongly reduce NK cell activity in various organs was used as a probe for the involvement of NK cells in the effects of LS 2616 on the B16-F10 tumor. The therapeutic efficiency of LS 2616 on tumor take when given from the time of s.c. inoculation, on the number of i.v. induced pulmonary metastases when treatment was started before tumor cell injection, as well as the spontaneous development of pulmonary metastases during exposure to the substance was abrogated by simultaneous injection with antibodies to asialomonoganglioside. In contrast, the beneficial effects of LS 2616 on already established i.v. produced or spontaneous pulmonary metastases were unaltered in mice made NK cell deficient by injection of anti-asialomonoganglioside antibodies. In conclusion, LS 2616 has potent antitumor activities mediated by NK cells as well as non-NK cell related defense mechanisms.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols; Cyclophosphamide; Hydroxyquinolines; Interleukin-2; Killer Cells, Natural; Lung Neoplasms; Melanoma; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL