Immunosuppressive substance adsorbent, extracorporeal cicrulation column and method of treating cancer

Abstract

An object of this invention is to provide an adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance, which adsorbent can highly efficiently and selectively adsorb an excessive immunosuppressive substance directly from the body fluid, can carry out extracorporeal perfusion safely and can be utilized in treatment of cancer. Such an excessive immunosuppressive substance may be involved in growth of cancer cells. An adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance of the invention includes a water-insoluble carrier and a hydrophilic amino group immobilized to the water-insoluble carrier. An extracorporeal perfusion column of the invention contains the adsorbent of the invention. A method for treating cancer of the invention carries out extracorporeal perfusion using the extracorporeal perfusion column of the invention.

1 . An adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance, comprising a water-insoluble carrier and a hydrophilic amino group immobilized to the water-insoluble carrier.  
   
   
       2 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic amino group is a quaternary ammonium group.  
   
   
       3 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 2 , wherein the quaternary ammonium group is a quaternary ammonium group derived from a tertiary amine having 3 to 18 carbon atoms per one nitrogen atom.  
   
   
       4 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 1 , wherein the immunosuppressive substance comprises an immunosuppressive protein.  
   
   
       5 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 4 , wherein the immunosuppressive protein comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a transforming growth factor beta, immunosuppressive acidic protein and a carcinoembryonic antigen.  
   
   
       6 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 5 , wherein the transforming growth factor beta is a latent transforming growth factor beta.  
   
   
       7 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 1 , wherein the immunosuppressive substance comprises prostaglandin-E2.  
   
   
       8 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 1 , which has a specific surface area of 0.1 m 2  or more per one gram.  
   
   
       9 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble carrier is derived from an aromatic polymer.  
   
   
       10 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 9 , wherein the water-insoluble carrier is derived from a poly(aromatic vinyl compound).  
   
   
       11 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-insoluble carrier is derived from a polysulfone polymer.  
   
   
       12 . The adsorbent for immunosuppressive substance according to  claim 1 , which has a shape selected from the group consisting of a film shape, a fibrous shape, a spongiform shape, a granular shape and a combination of these shapes.  
   
   
       13 . An extracorporeal perfusion column comprising the adsorbent according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       14 . The extracorporeal perfusion column according to  claim 13 , being used for treating cancer.  
   
   
       15 . A method for treating cancer, comprising the step of carrying out extracorporeal perfusion with the use of the extracorporeal perfusion column according to  claim 13 .  
   
   
       16 . The method for treating cancer according to  claim 15 , which is for treating a tumor-bearing mammal, wherein the extracorporeal perfusion column is capable of adsorbing 250 ng or more of a transforming growth factor beta per 1 kg of the body weight of the tumor-bearing mammal.  
   
   
       17 . The method for treating cancer according to  claim 15 , further comprising carrying out the extracorporeal perfusion in combination with administration of an antineoplastic agent.  
   
   
       18 . The method for treating cancer according to  claim 17 , wherein the antineoplastic agent comprises an antimetabolic antineoplastic agent.  
   
   
       19 . The method for treating cancer according to  claim 18 , wherein the antimetabolic antineoplastic agent comprises gemcitabine.  
   
   
       20 . The method for treating cancer according to  claim 15 , further comprising carrying out the extracorporeal perfusion in combination with excision of a primary focus of the cancer.