β-glucans are polysaccharides comprising β-D-glucoses with various bioactivities. Herein, we extracted three β-glucans from Lentinus edodes with different sources and assessed their antitumor activities on a mice model with intragastric, intraperitoneal and intratumoral injection. Three polysaccharides were shown to have the same chemical structure of β-(1,3)-glucan with β-(1,6) branches, and exhibited S-180 tumor-suppressing ability with good safety. It was found that β-glucans up-regulated CD4+ T cell level in lymphoid organs decreased by tumor-burden, indicating promotion of immunomodulation. β-glucans targeted tumors in vivo even after oral or intraperitoneal injection. Furthermore, β-glucans not only targeted to lymphoid organs and increased CD4+ T cells number, but also enhanced CD4+ T cells and neutrophils populations in tumors. It was proposed that β-glucans promoted CD4+ T cell immunomodulation and neutrophils infiltration into tumors, leading to tumor growth inhibition. These findings reveal that β-glucans can be used as an effective agent for cancer immunotherapy.
Beta-glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides with well-documented immunostimulatory properties. This 2019 study published in Carbohydrate Polymers investigated the mechanisms by which beta-glucans inhibit tumor growth, with particular focus on their ability to activate CD4+ T cells, promote neutrophil infiltration, and directly interact with tumor cells in S-180 sarcoma models.
The researchers administered beta-glucans via three distinct routes — oral, intraperitoneal, and intratumoral — to mice bearing S-180 sarcoma tumors. This multi-route approach enabled direct comparison of delivery methods on anti-tumor efficacy. The study examined both the tumor targeting properties of beta-glucans and their effects on immune cell populations at the tumor site.
All three administration routes significantly inhibited S-180 tumor growth. Beta-glucans were shown to target tumors and interact directly with tumor cells. Most importantly, beta-glucan treatment promoted CD4+ T cell differentiation and increased neutrophil infiltration into the tumor microenvironment — two critical mechanisms for anti-tumor immune surveillance and killing.
This study clarifies that beta-glucan anti-tumor activity operates through both direct tumor cell interaction and indirect immunological pathways. The promotion of CD4+ T helper cell differentiation is particularly significant as these cells orchestrate broader anti-tumor immune responses. These findings contribute to the mechanistic understanding of beta-glucan immunotherapy and support its development as an adjunct to conventional cancer treatments.
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Zou, Siwei; Duan, Bingchao; Xu, Xiaojuan. Inhibition of tumor growth by β-glucans through promoting CD4+ T cell immunomodulation and neutrophil-killing in mice. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2019. DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2019.03.006.
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