Vitamin E--its status and role in leukemia and lymphoma

A comparative study has been performed on the relationship between vitamin E and immunofunction in normal and malignant condition in human and murine systems. Further, the effects of supplemental vitamin E on tumor take, host survival and tumor growth have been studied in a transplantable lymphoma in mice. Vitamin E was assayed in serum samples from normal subjects and from patients with leukemia and lymphoma by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The murine group included Dalton's ascitic lymphoma (DL), Schwartz lymphoblastic leukemia (SVL) and Moloney lymphoblastic leukemia (MVL). Serum vitamin E was found to be lower than that of the normal controls in all cases of leukemia and lymphoma both in human and animal system. The levels of immunoglobulins (IgG and IgM) were found to be higher in mice with leukemia and lymphoma. Supplementary vitamin E administered at the initial phase of development of murine lymphomas reduced the rate of tumor growth, improved host survival and elevated serum vitamin E level. Vitamin E supplementation also activated specific mitogen induced blastogenesis of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and elevated serum IgG level. IgM remained unaltered and macrophage activity did not seem to be affected. The present findings indicated a low status of vitamin E in tumor bearing host and a beneficial effect of supplemental vitamin E on the host which was mediated by the host immune system.