Open Access

Immunostimulatory properties and antitumor activities of glucans (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Luca Vannucci
    • Jiri Krizan
    • Petr Sima
    • Dmitry Stakheev
    • Fabian Caja
    • Lenka Rajsiglova
    • Vratislav Horak
    • Mustafa Saieh
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 5, 2013     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2013.1974
  • Pages: 357-364
  • Copyright: © Vannucci et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 3.0].

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Abstract

New foods and natural biological modulators have recently become of scientific interest in the investigation of the value of traditional medical therapeutics. Glucans have an important part in this renewed interest. These fungal wall components are claimed to be useful for various medical purposes and they are obtained from medicinal mushrooms commonly used in traditional Oriental medicine. The immunotherapeutic properties of fungi extracts have been reported, including the enhancement of anticancer immunity responses. These properties are principally related to the stimulation of cells of the innate immune system. The discovery of specific receptors for glucans on dendritic cells (dectin-1), as well as interactions with other receptors, mainly expressed by innate immune cells (e.g., Toll-like receptors, complement receptor-3), have raised new attention toward these products as suitable therapeutic agents. We briefly review the characteristics of the glucans from mycelial walls as modulators of the immunity and their possible use as antitumor treatments.
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August 2013
Volume 43 Issue 2

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Spandidos Publications style
Vannucci L, Krizan J, Sima P, Stakheev D, Caja F, Rajsiglova L, Horak V and Saieh M: Immunostimulatory properties and antitumor activities of glucans (Review). Int J Oncol 43: 357-364, 2013
APA
Vannucci, L., Krizan, J., Sima, P., Stakheev, D., Caja, F., Rajsiglova, L. ... Saieh, M. (2013). Immunostimulatory properties and antitumor activities of glucans (Review). International Journal of Oncology, 43, 357-364. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2013.1974
MLA
Vannucci, L., Krizan, J., Sima, P., Stakheev, D., Caja, F., Rajsiglova, L., Horak, V., Saieh, M."Immunostimulatory properties and antitumor activities of glucans (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 43.2 (2013): 357-364.
Chicago
Vannucci, L., Krizan, J., Sima, P., Stakheev, D., Caja, F., Rajsiglova, L., Horak, V., Saieh, M."Immunostimulatory properties and antitumor activities of glucans (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 43, no. 2 (2013): 357-364. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2013.1974