Mistletoe extract is known to induce apoptosis and immunactivation in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, and has been shown to have a non-propogating effect on leukemic cells. - GreenMedInfo Summary
In vitro response of stimulated B-CLL lymphocytes of patients treated with Viscum album L. extracts.
Anticancer Res. 2007 Nov-Dec;27(6B):4195-200. PMID: 18225591
Chair of Medical Theory and Complementary Medicine, University Witten/Herdecke, Gerhard-Kienle-Weg 4, D-58313 Herdecke, Germany. Arndt.Buessing@uni-wh.de
BACKGROUND: Extracts from Viscum album (VA-E) have been shown to induce apoptosis and immunoactivation. To exclude possible B-CLL propagating effects, the in vitro reactions of cultured peripheral blood B-CLL cells were analysed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Intracellular expression of apoptosis-associated mitochondrial Apo2.7 and proliferation-associated Ki-67 molecules in B-CLL cells from patients treated with VA-E for 12 months were measured after incubation with various stimuli. RESULTS: Within the observation period, the susceptibility of the B-CLL cells towards the apoptosis-inducing potential of the VA-E significantly decreased. This effect could be due to the presence of physiologically-induced anti-mistletoe lectin antibodies which may block the effects of cytotoxic mistletoe lectins. No significant induction of Ki-67 was observed, but an increase of non-specific binding, even in untreated medium controls, did occur within the last months. CONCLUSION: In this in vitro setting of the observational study, no stimulation of leukemic cells from the patients treated with VA-E was profound.
