Evaluation of PSK, an antitumor protein-bound polysaccharides, by thymocyte electrophoresis.

It was clear that the proportion of high mobility cells in thymus tended to increase during tumor development by cell electrophoresis. Although the antitumor activity of PSK, protein-bound polysaccharide or mitomycin-C was similarly effective in sarcoma-180-bearing mice, the histogram pattern of thymocyte electrophoresis differed markedly from each other. Normally, the proportion of high mobility cells of thymocyte increased more with the administration of mitomycin-C than that of the untreated tumor-bearers, while PSK kept the thymic cell mobility histogram normal. Changes of thymocyte electrophoresis caused by the drugs also correlated with the depression of their antiinfectious activity. Using the fully automated cell electrophoretic instrument, the drug can be evaluated simply from the viewpoint of antiinfectious efficacy.