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A recently published study in Nutrition and Cancer (60(5), 643-651) by researchers at Kansai Medical University in Osaka, Japan has shown that AHCC (Active Hexose Correlated Compound) enhances immune function by increasing the number of dendritic cells (DCs). DCs are a key part of the immune system responsible for presenting foreign substances to other immune system cells. The study was conducted in a double-blind randomized fashion where twenty-one healthy subjects received a placebo or AHCC at 3.0 g/day for 4 weeks. Blood samples were obtained and measured at baseline and at 4 weeks. The number of circulating types of DCs was measured which included CD 11c+ DCs (myeloid DC population; DC1) and CD11c- DCs (lymphoid DC population; DC2). Other parameters measured included mixed-leukocyte reaction (MLR), natural killer (NK) cell activity, the proliferative response of T lymphocytes toward mitogen (phytohemagglutinin [PHA]) and cytokine production of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, interferon gamma-gamma, and (alpha)-tumor necrosis factor.

Molecular immunological approaches to biotherapy of human cancers--a review, hypothesis and implications. Becker Y. Anticancer Res. 2006 Mar-Apr;26(2A):1113-34. Review. PMID: 16619514

Preoperative treatment with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) increases tumor tissue infiltration of seemingly activated immune cells in colorectal cancer. Lönnroth C, Andersson M, Arvidsson A, Nordgren S, Brevinge H, Lagerstedt K, Lundholm K. Cancer Immun. 2008 Feb 29;8:5. PMID: 18307280 MHC II protein (HLA-DP, -DQ, -DR) levels and infiltration by CD4+ T-helper cells of tumor stroma increased upon NSAID treatment, while CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocytes increased in both tumor stroma and epithelium. Molecules associated with immunosuppressive T regulatory cells (FOXP3, IL-10) were significantly decreased in indomethacin-exposed tumors. Standard oral administration of NSAID three days preoperatively was enough to increase tumor infiltration by seemingly activated immune cells. These findings agree with previous information that high pr