[Effect of hepatocellular carcinoma-specific transfer factor (HCC-S-TF) on IL-2 activity and IL-2R expression]

HCC specific transfer factor (S-TF) was extracted from lymphoid tissues of goats immunized with HCC cell suspension. The effect of the S-TF on IL-2 activity and IL-2R expression was observed in vitro. The results showed that IL-2 activity and IL-2R expression in HCC patients but not in normal subjects could be increased by the S-TF. The IL-2 activities and IL-2R expressions in both normal subjects and patients with HCC could not be increased by normal transfer factor (N-TF). This may be one of the anti-tumor mechanisms of S-TF. It suggests that S-TF may be better than N-TF in immunotherapy of human tumors.