"Accelerating aging" chemotherapy on aged animals: protective effect from nutraceutical modulation.

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Pharmacology
• Gerontology

Background:

• Chemotherapy, such as cyclophosphamide (CPX), can induce significant immunosuppression and oxidative stress.
• These adverse effects are often exacerbated in aged individuals, posing a challenge for cancer treatment.
• Novel therapeutic strategies are needed to mitigate chemotherapy-induced toxicity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of a novel phytocompound, Denshichi-Tochiu-Sen (DTS), in an experimental model of antitumor-induced immunosuppression.
• To investigate the protective effects of DTS against cyclophosphamide (CPX)-induced immune suppression and oxidative-inflammatory damage.
• To compare the effects of DTS in young and aged mice.

Main Methods:

• An experimental model using young and aged mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CPX) or CPX plus DTS.
• Assessment of macrophage chemotaxis and serum cytokine levels (IFN-gamma, IL-2, GM-CSF).
• Histological examination of liver and urinary bladder, and analysis of redox enzymes in liver and kidney.

Main Results:

• CPX treatment significantly reduced macrophage chemotaxis and cytokine levels, with more pronounced effects in aged mice.
• DTS administration restored macrophage function and normalized cytokine concentrations (p < 0.001).
• DTS partly improved histological damage in the bladder, reduced substance P receptor expression, and ameliorated the redox status in the liver and kidney (p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• The phytocompound DTS effectively prevents cyclophosphamide-induced immune suppression.
• DTS demonstrates protective effects against chemotherapy-induced oxidative-inflammatory damage, especially in aged organisms.
• DTS represents a promising nutraceutical for mitigating the side effects of chemotherapy.