[The enhancement under the action of a limited diet of the antimetastatic effect due to macrophage activation in mice with Lewis carcinoma].

Abstract

An antimetastatic effect associated with macrophage activation by liposome-encapsulated glucosaminylmuramyldipeptide was found to enhance in malnourished mice with the Lewis lung carcinoma. These changes were not matched by further increase in the functional activity of macrophages. It has been suggested that enhancement of the antimetastatic effect in malnourished animals is due to the inhibition of neovascularization necessary for the beginning of metastatic exponential growth. The induction of neovascularization may be caused by the tumor necrosis factor, main product of activated macrophages.