The Anticancer Properties of Taurox SB may be Mediated by an Immunostimulatory Mechanism 1
Dunn, T.M., Wormsley, S., Taub, F.E., and Pontzer, C.H.
Taurox-SB (TSB) is a small molecular weight benzyl sulfonic acid in a class of drugs with the beta-alanyl cysteamine nucleus. TSB has previously been shown to exhibit potent in vivo antitumor effects against melanoma and myeloma. We have shown TSB to have considerable immunostimulatory effects on several key markers necessary for potentiating an immune response to cancer. TSB has been shown to increase the expression of the CD69 T cell activation marker and increases proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in culture. We have also shown TSB to activate calcium and cAMP second messenger systems. TNF-alpha message and protein were also upregulated in the presence of TSB. Soluble TNF-alpha was increased as well as surface expression and both have been shown to induce tumor cell apoptosis. The cytolytic T cell marker, BLT-esterase, was also elevated by TSB treatment during melanoma specific cytotolytic T cell generation. The ability of TSB to activate the immune system via the above mechanisms may contribute to its in vivo anticancer activity.
1 This work was supported by NCI grant #CA71111-01 and Maryland Industrial Partnerships grant #2131.