Comparative studies on the immunosuppressive effect among 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine, ftorafur, and 5-fluorouracil

The immunosuppressive effect of 5'-deoxy-5-fluorouridine (5'-DFUR, Ro 21-9738) was examined for both humoral and cell-mediated immunity in mice in comparison with that of 5-fluorouracil and Ftorafur (FT-207). By both oral and intraperitoneal administration, 5'-DFUR was found to be much less suppressive than 5-fluorouracil and FT-207 in all immune responses tested; hemolysin plaque-forming cells, serum hemolysin titer, delayed-type hypersensitivity and allogeneic tumor rejection. Furthermore, 5'-DFUR did not induce any reduction in either the spleen weight, thymus weight, total spleen cell number, or peripheral leucocyte number.