Deprenyl and Protection Against Mammary Tumors
Abstract
L-deprenyl, a monoamine oxidase-B inhibitor, has been reported to reverse the age-related decline in sympathetic noradrenergic innervation and immune function in old rats and enhance cell-mediated immunity in tumor-bearing rats. The aim of the present set of studies was to investigate whether deprenyl treatment of young and old female rats with carcinogen-induced and spontaneously developing mammary tumors, and middle-aged female rats could inhibit tumor development and growth. Also, the effects of deprenyl treatment on splenic noradrenergic activity and immune responses and hypothalamic dopaminergic activity were examined. In another study, we investigated whether deprenyl has any direct effects on the growth of breast cancer cell lines. We have demonstrated that deprenyl inhibited the development and growth of tumors in young and old rats with tumors and suppressed the incidence of tumors when deprenyl treatment is initiated in middle-aged female rats. These effects were accompanied by increase in immune reactivity and sympathetic noradrenergic activity in the spleen and hypothalamic dopaminergic activity. Direct addition of deprenyl to breast cancer cell lines moderately inhibited the growth of cells. These results suggest that the anti-tumor effects of deprenyl involve neural-immune signaling that may be responsible for anti-mitogenic effect at the cellular level.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADB267947
Entities
People
- David L. Felten
Organizations
- Loma Linda University