OBJECTIVETo observe the mucosal immune mechanism of anti-tumor action of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP).

METHODSThe concentration of H22 cells in suspension were adjusted to 1 x 10(9)/ L, and 0.2 mL of the cell suspension was injected subcutaneously in the right oxter of Kunming mice. Then the H22 bearing mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: the GLP group, the Cytoxan (CTX) group, the CTX + GLP group and the untreated model group, 8 mice in each group. Besides, a blank control group was set up. Starting from the 2nd day of modeling, GLP, at the dose of 1.02 g/kg was given to GLP group and GLP + CTX group by gastrogavage once a day for 12 successive days; CTX at the dose of 100 mg/kg was administered via peritoneal injection to the CTX group and the GLP + CTX group on the 1st day and the 6th day of the experimental course; but to the model group and the blank group, only equal volume of distilled water was given. All mice were sacrificed on the 14th day, the ileum at 1 cm upper to cecum was taken, through 4% paraform fixation and paraffin section, it was used for immunohistochemical detecting expressions of immunoglobulin A (IgA), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in ileum. Besides, the lymphocyte subsets in the intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL), lamina propria lymphocytes (LPL), and Peyer's patch lymphocytes (PPL) were analyzed by immune fluorescence technique and flow cytometry.

RESULTSCompared with the blank control group, the phenotype of lymphocytes and the expression of cytokines in ileum in the model group changed significantly; and the phenotype was variant in different regions. Compared with the model group, both indexes were adjusted in the GLP, CTX and GLP + CTX group to different degrees.

CONCLUSIONThe adjustment of GLP on intestinal mucosal immune is probably another path for its anti-tumor action.