Effects of Shark Cartilage Oral Treatment on T Regulatory Cells Frequency and Activity in Patients with Gastric Cancer

Background and

Gastric cancer is the third most common cancer in Iran and the second leading cause cancer-related death worldwide. Shark cartilage prevents angiogenesis in vivo and in vitro، however، its role on angiogenesis or anti-tumor responses in human is not clear yet. We studied the effects of oral treatment of shark cartilage on peripheral Treg frequency and TGF-β as suppressor activity and Treg cells inducer associated with TH1/TH2 cytokines pattern in patients with gastric cancer.

This study included 23 patients suffering from intestinal gastric cancer who were assigned into intervention (n=14) and control group (n=9). A month after conventional treatment the patients in intervention group were given three tablets (150mg) of shark cartilage daily for 20 days. Then flow cytometry was employed to determine whether the peripheral blood mononuclear cells such as CD4+CD25+Foxp3highT regulatory cells in patients with gastric cancer were changed correspondingly.

The results demonstrated that γ-IFN increased and IL-4 decreased in the intervention group. But، no changes were seen in Treg cells frequency and amounts of TGF-β. The evaluations for control group showed no significant difference.

Shark cartilage amplified anti-tumor responses in patients with gastric cancer by increase in γ-IFN (TH1 immunity) and decrease in IL-4 (TH2 immunity).