The effect of ranitidine on cellular immunity in patients with multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma is characterized by an increased susceptibility to infections and to other malignancies. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study the potential impact of immunomodulation by ranitidine was studied in 20 patients with multiple myeloma. Three patients were untreated, while 17 after...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy 1990-05, Vol.32 (3), p.201-205
Main Authors: JØRGEN NIELSEN, H, NIELSEN, H, MOESGAARD, F, TVEDE, N, KLARLUND, K, MANSA, B, DRIVSHOLM, A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adjuvants, Immunologic - pharmacology
Administration, Oral
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Antineoplastic agents
Biological and medical sciences
Chemotherapy
Double-Blind Method
Female
Humans
Immunity, Cellular - drug effects
Immunoglobulins - metabolism
Leukocyte Count - drug effects
Lymphocytes - cytology
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Monocytes - drug effects
Monocytes - physiology
Multiple Myeloma - drug therapy
Multiple Myeloma - immunology
Original
Paraproteins - metabolism
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
Ranitidine - administration & dosage
Ranitidine - pharmacology
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Summary:Multiple myeloma is characterized by an increased susceptibility to infections and to other malignancies. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study the potential impact of immunomodulation by ranitidine was studied in 20 patients with multiple myeloma. Three patients were untreated, while 17 after previous cytotoxic therapy were in a stable phase of their disease. All were without clinical signs of infections and at that time had not been treated with other immunomodulating agents. The patients were randomized to oral ranitidine 300 mg twice a day for 21 days or placebo, and several immunological parameters related to multiple myeloma were studied. The blood monocyte chemotactic response was improved in patients treated with ranitidine, and superoxide anion production increased from 2.02 nmol/min to 3.86 nmol/min (median values), while it was unchanged in patients given placebo (2.19-2.25 nmol/min) (P less than 0.005 between groups). Among ranitidine-treated patients spontaneous NK cell activity was unchanged, while in vitro interleukin-2- and interferon-alpha-stimulated NK cell activity decreased (P less than 0.03, respectively). As production of oxygen radicals constitutes an important mechanism of monocyte killing activity against microorganisms and probably against malignant cells, it is suggested that ranitidine may be of beneficial impact in the treatment of multiple myeloma.
ISSN:0340-7004
1432-0851
DOI:10.1007/BF01771458