PMID-16634527 – Epitalon Effect on Spontaneous Carcinogenesis in Mice
Kossoy G, Anisimov VN, Ben-Hur H, Kossoy N, Zusman I. Effect of the synthetic pineal peptide Epitalon on spontaneous carcinogenesis in female C3H/He mice. In Vivo. 2006;20(2):253-257.
Quick Reference
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| PMID | 16634527 |
| DOI | — |
| Year | 2006 |
| Journal | In Vivo |
| Study Type | Animal in vivo |
| Evidence Level | V |
| Sample | Female C3H/He mice (spontaneous mammary tumor model) |
| Peptide(s) Studied | Epitalon |
Key Findings
- Epitalon treatment decreased malignant tumor incidence in aging C3H/He mice compared to untreated controls
- Metastases were completely prevented in the Epitalon-treated group (0 cases) versus 3 out of 9 control animals developing metastases
- The lead author (Kossoy) is from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel, providing partial independent validation of Epitalon's anti-tumor properties outside the Khavinson group
Study Design
Female C3H/He mice, a strain with high spontaneous mammary carcinogenesis rates, were treated with the synthetic pineal tetrapeptide Epitalon over their lifespan. Tumor incidence, tumor type (benign vs malignant), and metastasis rates were compared between treated and untreated control groups at study endpoint.
Limitations
- Relatively small sample size limits statistical power
- C3H/He is a specific inbred strain with unique genetic susceptibility to mammary tumors; results may not generalize to other tumor types or strains
- Methodological note: While the lead author (Kossoy) is from an independent Israeli institution (Ben-Gurion University), Anisimov — a long-standing Khavinson collaborator — is a co-author. This provides partial but not fully independent replication.
Clinical Relevance
The complete prevention of metastases is a noteworthy finding if reproducible. The involvement of an independent lead institution adds credibility compared to purely Khavinson-group studies, though further independent replication with larger cohorts and diverse tumor models is needed before clinical relevance can be established.
Related
#research #animal-in-vivo #evidence-level-V