Active hexose correlated compound enhances tumor surveillance through regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses.

Abstract

Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) is a mixture of polysaccharides, amino acids, lipids and minerals derived from cocultured mycelia of several species of Basidiomycete mushrooms. AHCC has been implicated to modulate immune functions and plays a protective role against infection. However, the potential role of AHCC in tumor immune surveillance is unknown. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were orally administered AHCC or water, followed by tumor cell inoculation. We showed that compared to pure water-treated mice, AHCC treatment significantly delayed tumor development after inoculation of either melanoma cell line B16F0 or lymphoma cell line EL4. Treatment with AHCC enhanced both Ag-specific activation and proliferation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, increased the number of tumor Ag-specific CD8(+) T cells, and more importantly, increased the frequency of tumor Ag-specific IFN-gamma producing CD8(+) T cells. Interestingly, AHCC treatment also showed increased cell number of NK and gammadelta T cells, indicating the role of AHCC in activating these innate-like lymphocytes. In summary, our results demonstrate that AHCC can enhance tumor immune surveillance through regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses.

• Authors: Yunfei Gao, Dongqing Zhang, Buxiang Sun, Hajime Fujii, Ken-Ichi Kosuna, Zhinan Yin
• Journal: Cancer immunology, immunotherapy : CII (Cancer Immunol Immunother) Vol. 55 Issue 10 Pg. 1258-66 (Oct 2006) ISSN: 0340-7004 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 16362410 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Polysaccharides
• Interferon-gamma
• Active Hexose Correlated Compound

Topics

• Animals
• CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes (drug effects, immunology)
• CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes (drug effects, immunology)
• Dietary Supplements
• Immunity, Innate (drug effects)
• Immunologic Surveillance (drug effects, immunology)
• Interferon-gamma (biosynthesis, drug effects, immunology)
• Killer Cells, Natural (drug effects, immunology)
• Lymphocyte Activation (drug effects, immunology)
• Lymphoma (drug therapy)
• Melanoma, Experimental (drug therapy)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred C57BL
• Neoplasm Transplantation
• Neoplasms, Experimental (drug therapy)
• Polysaccharides (immunology, therapeutic use)
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets (drug effects, immunology)