α-Fetoprotein-induced apoptosis of cancer cells

Effect of α-fetoprotein on the count of bone marrow and splenic stromal precursor cells and proliferation of their cultural descendants

“…The stimulatory effect of α-FP on the growth, differentiation, and proliferation of fetal fibroblasts was demonstrated not once [14,16]. Treatment with this protein was associated with signs of stimulation of functional activity of immunocompetent organs (thymus, lymph nodes, macrophage system of the liver) [8,14].…”

“…α-FP suppresses production of antibodies and maturation of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes, reduces the proliferative response of lymphocytes to mitogens, increases activity of specific T-suppressors, reduces phagocytic activity of macrophages, inhibits production of TNF-α and IL-1 by activated macrophages and activity of natural killers, and regulates synthesis of prostaglandins 2 [14,15,17]. α-FP blocks the development of autoimmune processes, exhibits radioprotective effects, suppresses proliferative activity of tumor cells via inhibition of RNA, DNA, and protein synthesis and at the expense of activation of the cellular component of the immune system antitumor defense [8,14,16]. α-FP directly modulates activity of immunocompetent cells, its effect being directed to proliferating cells, but not their mature forms [14].…”