Effect of Alive Protoscoleces of Hydatid Cyst on the Growth of Melanoma Cells in Mouse Model

Hydatid cyst is the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Effect of this parasite on inhibition of cancer cells growth has been shown in previous investigations. In this study, different numbers of viable protoscoleces of hydatid cyst were injected to C57/Black mice. Then, melanoma cells were injected to the mice, too. In mice received 100 or 500 protoscolices, significantly smaller tumors were developed in comparison with the control group; but in the group received 1000 protoscoleces, there was no significant difference in tumor size compared to control group. Probably, due to antigenic similarities between protoscolices and cancer cells, the raised antibody against protoscolices antigens may non-specifically affect tumor growth in mice.