The Immunostimulatory Effects of Taurox SB™ 1
by Thomas M. Dunn, Floyd E. Taub and Carol H. Pontzer
Taurox-SB (TSB) is a low molecular weight benzyl sulfonic acid. TSB has previously been shown to exhibit potent in vivo anti-tumor effects in melanoma and myeloma models at low doses and negligible toxicity. The immuno-stimulatory ability of TSB was assessed by evaluation of several key markers involved in potentiating a T-cell response to cancer. TSB was shown to enhance components of early T-cell activation, including increased intracellular calcium, upregulated expression of the CD69 early activation marker and enhanced proliferation of peripheral mononuclear cells in culture. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interferon gamma message and protein were also upregulated in the presence of TSB. TSB decreased the amount of secreted TNF-alpha while maintaining enhanced expression of cell surface protein. The TSB-mediated increased presence of surface TNF-alpha was able to effect killing of HL60 tumor cells in vitro. The in vivo anti-tumor mechanism of action of TSB may be through T-cell activation in a calcium dependent manner that leads to increased pro-inflammatory cytokine production. TSB may have limited toxicity because it reduced shedding of TNF-alpha , presumably through an interaction with TNF-alpha converting enzyme. These mechanisms of action warrant the further study of this compound for its potential use as an immuno-modulatory in various situations including in patients with cancer.
1 Taurox SB™ is a licensed trademark of Dovetail Technologies, Inc.