Ganoderma tsugae mycelium enhances splenic natural killer cell activity and serum interferon production in mice.
Effects of the water-soluble extract of Ganoderma tsugae mycelium (GT), its alcohol-insoluble subfraction (GTI), and its alcohol-soluble subfraction (GTS) on splenic natural killer (NK) cell activity and serum interferon (IFN) production were assessed in mice. Intraperitoneal administration of GT (4-200 mg/kg) or GTI (1-50 mg/kg), but not GTS, augmented the NK cytotoxic activity in a dose-dependent manner in C3H/HeN mice. This augmentation of splenic NK cytolytic activity was not mouse-strain-dependent. The serum IFN titers of mice were also elevated after i.p.-doses of GTI. The GTI-induced serum IFN was reduced by either IFN-(alpha+beta) antiserum or IFN-gamma monoclonal antibody in vitro. The treatment with antiserum neutralizing IFN-(alpha+beta) resulted in a 70% reduction of GTI-induced IFN, while monoclonal antibody against mouse IFN-gamma, moderately neutralized the GTI-induced IFN (50%). These results demonstrated that both the splenic NK activity and serum IFN [IFN-(alpha+beta) and IFN-gamma] titers are elevated by Ganoderma tsugae mycelium extracts in mice.
D000818:Animals; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D016898:Interferon-alpha / Q000097:blood; D016899:Interferon-beta / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D007372:Interferons / Q000097:blood*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D020940:Reishi; D012995:Solubility; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016898:Interferon-alpha; D016899:Interferon-beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007372:Interferons