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Unique increase of serum proteins and action of antitumour polysaccharides

Abstract

WE have reported that lentinan and several other polysaccharides inhibited the growth of sarcoma-180 transplanted subcutaneously in mice1–4, and that their antitumour activity is a host-mediated reaction with participation of the thymus or thymus-dependent cells (T cells)5–8. While it has recently been reported that lentinan is a T cell oriented adjuvant9 and a helper T cell stimulant10–11, it is not clear how lentinan affects the host at the first stage before the induction of many immunological changes. It is possible that the antitumour activity of lentinan is dependent on the presence of certain substances in the host which interact with these polysaccharides.

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MAEDA, Y., CHIHARA, G. & ISHIMURA, K. Unique increase of serum proteins and action of antitumour polysaccharides. Nature 252, 250–251 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/252250a0

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