[#1989-04] Antitumor and Immunomodulating Activities of a β-Glucan Obtained from Liquid-Cultured Grifola frondosa, I. Suzuki et al.

Antitumor and Immunomodulating Activities of a β-Glucan Obtained from Liquid-Cultured Grifola frondosa

Iwao SUZUKI,  Koichi HASHIMOTO,  Shozo OIKAWA,  Kichiro SATO  Masumi OSAWA and Toshiro YADOMAE

Tokyo College of Pharmacy, Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo 192-03, Japan and Nippon Beet Sugar Mfg., Co., Ltd., Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104, Japan.

The effects of the β-1,3-glucan, LELFD, obtained from liquid-cultured mycelium of Grifola frondosa ( maitake ), on the growth of syngeneic tumors and immune responses in mice were examined. In Meth A or IMC solid tumor systems, LELFD administered intraperitoneally (i.p.) or intralesionally (i.l.) exhibited significant antitumor effects. However, the growth of L1210 and P388 leukemias was unaffected by the injection of LELFD.

The injection of LELFD i.p. enhanced the activities of natural killer cells and macrophages in mice. LELFD also enhanced the antibody response when it was injected i.p. with sheep red blood cells into mice. Furthermore, it was found that LELFD could activate the alternative complement pathway.