Abstract
β-(1,3)/(1,6) D-glucan, a component of the fungal cell wall, has been shown to stimulate the immune system, enhance hematopoiesis, amplify killing of opsonized tumor cells and increase neutrophil chemotaxis and adhesion. In view of these attributes, the β-glucans should be studied for both their therapeutic efficacy in patients with cancer as well as an adjunctive therapy in patients receiving chemotherapy as a maneuver to limit suppression of hematopoiesis.In this study, twenty patients with advanced malignancies receiving chemotherapy were given a β-(1,3)/(1,6) D-glucan preparation (MacroForce plus IP6, ImmuDyne, Inc.) and monitored for tolerability and effect on hematopoiesis. Our results lead us to conclude that β-glucan is well-tolerated in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy, may have a beneficial effect on hematopoiesis in these patients and should be studied further, especially in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and lymphoma.
Highlights
IntroductionIt has been well-demonstrated that the β-glucans increase neutrophil chemotaxis and adhesion, synergize with myeloid growth factors to enhance hematopoiesis and mobilize peripheral blood progenitor cells in vivo, directly stimulate committed myeloid progenitor cells and improve survival and hematopoietic regeneration in irradiated mice [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
Background β-(1,3)/(1,6) D-glucan is a long chain polymer of glucose from the fungal cell wall which has been shown to have a number of immunomodulatory properties as well as effects on hematopoiesis and as a radiation protectant. It has been well-demonstrated that the β-glucans increase neutrophil chemotaxis and adhesion, synergize with myeloid growth factors to enhance hematopoiesis and mobilize peripheral blood progenitor cells in vivo, directly stimulate committed myeloid progenitor cells and improve survival and hematopoietic regeneration in irradiated mice [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]
Because the β-glucans have been shown to improve hematopoiesis in animals and because chemotherapy generally induces cytopenias in humans, we sought to determine if the β-glucan administered in this study exerted an effect on blood counts in patients with advanced malignancies receiving chemotherapy compared with pretreatment blood counts in patients receiving chemotherapy alone
Summary
It has been well-demonstrated that the β-glucans increase neutrophil chemotaxis and adhesion, synergize with myeloid growth factors to enhance hematopoiesis and mobilize peripheral blood progenitor cells in vivo, directly stimulate committed myeloid progenitor cells and improve survival and hematopoietic regeneration in irradiated mice [1,2,3,4,5,6,7]. The β-glucans have been shown to amplify the phagocytic killing of opsonized tumor cells and combine with monoclonal antibodies to increase their tumoricidal activity [8]. Based on these properties, this study was designed to test the safety of an adjunctive treatment with β-(1,3)/(1,6) Dglucan in patients with advanced malignancies receiving chemotherapy. Because the β-glucans have been shown to improve hematopoiesis in animals and because chemotherapy generally induces cytopenias in humans, we sought to determine if the β-glucan administered in this study exerted an effect on blood counts in patients with advanced malignancies receiving chemotherapy compared with pretreatment blood counts in patients receiving chemotherapy alone
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