title: Effects of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on proliferation and cytotoxicity of cytokine-induced killer cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effects (and the mechanisms thereof) of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (Gl-PS) on the proliferation and the anti-tumor activity of cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, and to make use of CIK cells as a means to investigate the interactions between Gl-PS and cytokines.
  
  
  METHODS
  CIK cells were prepared by using the standard protocol as a positive control. Experimental groups also underwent the standard protocol, except that Gl-PS (400 mg/L or 100 mg/L) was added and the dose of anti-CD3 and interleukin-2 they received was reduced by 50% and 75%, respectively. For negative controls, Gl-PS in the experimental protocol was replaced with soluble starch or methylcellulose (400 mg/L or 100 mg/L). CIK cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, and phenotype were determined by using the Trypan blue exclusion method, MTT assay, and flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By synergizing cytokines, Gl-PS (400 mg/L or 100 mg/L) could decrease the amount of cytokine in lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells and CIK cells culture, but had no significant effect on the proliferation, cytotoxicity, or phenotype of LAK cells, or CIK cells induced by cytokines at higher doses alone, in which CIK cells expanded about 80-fold and the main effectors, CD3+NK1.1+ cells, expanded by more than 15%. The cytotoxicity of CIK cells in experimental groups was 79.3%+/-4.7%, 76.9%+/-6.8% versus the positive control 80.7%+/-6.8% against P815 (P>0.05) and 88.9%+/-5.5%, 84.7%+/-7.9% versus the positive control 89.8%+/-4.5% against YAC-1 (P>0.05). The activity of Gl-PS could mostly be blocked by anti-CR3.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gl-PS was shown to be a promising biological response modifier and immune potentiator. The effect of Gl-PS on CIK cells is possibly mediated primarily through complement receptor type 3.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Science, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100083, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-ling
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Zhi-bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017252:CD3 Complex / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D015979:Killer Cells, Lymphokine-Activated / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010641:Phenotype; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020940:Reishi / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D017252:CD3 Complex; D011134:Polysaccharides