Anti-Proliferative Effects of Antioxidants Using HTLV-1 Positive and Negative Malignant T-Cells

Harakeh SM, Diab-Assaf M, Niedzwiecki A, Khalife J, Abu-El-Ardat K, Roomi MW, Rath M 
American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon

Presented at: 
104th General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, New Orleans, Louisiana, May 23-27, 2004.

Published in: 
American Society for Microbiology Final Program, p. 143, Abstract #T-021.

 

Comment

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive malignancy caused by HTLV-1, for which currently there is no proven therapy. Nutrients, such as ascorbic acid, lysine, and EGCG used individually and in combination with other nutrients (e.g., proline and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine), were effective in inhibiting the growth of virus-infected and virus-negative leukemia cell types. These nutrients were used in concentrations that did not affect the viability of normal cells, but were effective in killing leukemia cells. Our study results confirm our previous findings that a specific combination of nutrients can be a powerful tool in suppressing cancer cell growth and viability, including blood cancers such as ATL.