Immunoregulatory and anti-tumor effects of polysaccharopeptide and Astragalus polysaccharides on tumor-bearing mice.

The aim of this study was to determine whether polysaccharopeptide (PSP) and Astragalus polysaccharides (APS) can be combined together as a new complex prescription (PSP + APS) for aiding adriamycin (AMD) chemotherapy. Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) was used to establish a solid tumor model in Kunming mice. Immunocytochemical and immunohistochemical analysis were employed to detect the immunoregulatory and anti-tumor effects of EAC bearing mice after 30 days of administration with PSP and APS. PSP and PSP + APS could significantly increase the percentage of CD3(+) and CD4(+) T-lymphocytes, the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+), and the expression of IL-2/IL-2R in spleen and Bax in tumor tissue, but led to a diminution of Bcl-2 and CDK4 in tumor tissue compared with those of control group. In addition, PSP +APS could restore the immunological effects against AMD-induced immunosuppression, such as the subset of leukomonocyte, the expression of IL-2/IL-2R in the spleen, and the thymus index. These findings suggest that the immunomodulatory and anti-cancer effects of this new formula (PSP+APS) were better than those of PSP alone, and also could resist immunosuppression induced by AMD.