Lipid extract from completely sporoderm-broken germinating Ganoderma sinensis spores elicits potent antitumor immune responses in human macrophages.
Ganoderma sinensis has been used widely in Oriental countries for the prevention and treatment of various diseases including cancer. Previous studies have shown that the lipid extract from Ganoderma exhibits direct cytotoxicity against tumor cells. Here, it is reported that the lipid extract from germinating G. sinensis spores, at lower concentrations that have no direct tumoricidal activity, induce potent antitumor immune responses in human monocytes/macrophages. Upon stimulation with the lipid extract, monocytes/macrophages exhibited markedly increased production of proinflammatory cytokines and surface expression of costimulatory molecules. Conditioned medium from stimulated cells effectively suppressed the growth of tumor cells. Apparently, the lipid extract triggered macrophage activation via a mechanism different from that associated with LPS. Moreover, it was observed that the lipid extract could partially re-establish the antitumor activity of the immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages. These results indicated that in addition to its direct tumoricidal activity, the lipid extract from G. sinensis spores could exert antitumor activity by stimulating the activation of human monocytes/macrophages.
Zhang
Jing-Ping
JP
State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, College of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Zheng
Limin
L
Wang
Jiang-Hai
JH
Magnusson
Karl-Eric
KE
Liu
Xin
X
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D032902:Ganoderma / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology; D020298:U937 Cells
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D008055:Lipids; D014315:Triterpenes