Polysaccharides such as glucans are the best known and most potent mushroom-derived substances with antitumor and immunomodulating properties. However, a vast variety of mushroom species remain unexplored. The present study aims at exploring the possible role of a heteroglucan designated as AE2, isolated from Astraeus hygrometricus, on tumor bearing host. AE2 mediated tumor regression through the reversal of tumor induced immunosupression. Tumor-associated macrophages from AE2 administered tumor bearing host have been demonstrated to possess augmented surface expression of co-stimulatory molecules and MHC-II, representing essentially elevated state of macrophage activation. NK cell activity has also been found to be elevated with the AE2 treatment while the Th1 cytokine in the tumor micro-environment increases with the treatment, the Th2 cytokine levels concomitantly decreases. Further, following the immunoactivation, Daltons lymphoma (DL) cells has undergone apoptosis, thereby resulting in reduction of tumor growth and increased survival rate of the tumor bearing host. The present study sheds light on the potent antitumor property of the heteroglucan AE2 isolated from A. hygrometricus, and can be extended further to develop therapeutic protocols for treatment of cancer or disease resulting in immunosuppression.
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