Vitamin d and its role in cancer and immunity: a prescription for sunlight.
Mullin GE, Dobs A.
Nutr Clin Pract. 2007 Jun;22(3):305-22. Review.
PMID: 17507731
DOI: 10.1177/0115426507022003305
They found some important trends. Granulocytes from people over 50 years old had a reduced ability to kill cancer cells, as did granulocytes from people with cancer. This raises the possibility that cancer is not simply the result of getting too old, but a very specific weakening of the immune system.
The most important finding, however, was that the granulocytes' kung-fu grip declined dramatically during the winter months. Here's Dr. Cui:
Nobody seems to have any cancer-killing ability during the
winter months from November to April.
Vitamin d and its role in cancer and immunity: a prescription for sunlight.
Mullin GE, Dobs A.
Nutr Clin Pract. 2007 Jun;22(3):305-22. Review.
PMID: 17507731
(free full text PDF available)
Interleukin 2-mediated conversion of ovarian cancer-associated CD4+ regulatory T cells into proinflammatory interleukin 17-producing helper T cells.
Leveque L, Deknuydt F, Bioley G, Old LJ, Matsuzaki J, Odunsi K, Ayyoub M, Valmori D.
J Immunother. 2009 Feb-Mar;32(2):101-8.
PMID: 19238008
doi: 10.1097/CJI.0b013e318195b59e
Thus, although the impact of TH17 cells on the evolution of EOC remains to be established, our data suggest that local IL-2 treatment in ovarian cancer may result in the conversion of tumor-associated Treg into TH17 cells, relieve Treg-mediated suppression, and contribute to enhance antitumor immunity.
Derived from the cap and stem of the mushroom, Reishi mushroom is used as an immune stimulant by patients with HIV or cancer. The active constituents are thought to include both beta-glucan polysaccharides and triterpenes (1). Extracts of Reishi can stimulate macrophages and alter the levels of TNF and interleukins (2) (3) (4) (5). Reishi also inhibited platelet aggregation (11) (12) and improved lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men (9) (10).
Studies done in rats have shown that Reishi extract may alleviate chemotherapy-induced nausea (13). In clinical studies, Reishi increased plasma antioxidant capacity (6) (7)and enhanced immune responses in advance-stage cancer patients (8).
Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC) is an alpha-glucan rich nutritional supplement produced from the mycelia of shiitake (Lentinula edodes) of the basidiomycete family of mushrooms, and should not be confused or used as a drug or medicine.[1][2] AHCC was originally designed to lower high-blood pressure. However, researchers at Tokyo University found AHCC's influence upon the innate immune system highly beneficial and published the results in 1992, though not in the commonly indexed scientific literature. In this study, researchers found that AHCC significantly increased natural killer (NK) cell activity in cancer patients, and also enhanced the effects of killer T-cells, and cytokines (interferon, IL-12, TNF-alpha
A heat-stable extract of white button mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus) with potential chemopreventive and immunomodulating activities. Phytochemicals, such as polysaccharides and especially beta-D-glucans found in the white button mushroom extract, bind to and inhibit the activity of aromatase, an enzyme responsible for the conversion of androgens to estrogens and which is often upregulated in breast cancer cells. The consequent decrease in estrogen production may result in the suppression of estrogen-dependent cellular proliferation. In addition, this extract may promote dendritic cell (DC) maturation, increase interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production, and may enhance natural killer (NK) cell activity, thus amplifying both innate and T cell-mediated immune responses against cancer cells. Check for active clinical trials or closed clinical trials using this agent.
The effects of whole mushrooms during inflammation.\nYu S, Weaver V, Martin K, Cantorna MT.\nBMC Immunol. 2009 Feb 20;10:12.\nPMID: 19232107 \ndoi:10.1186/1471-2172-10-12\n
Biological therapy is a type of treatment that works with your immune system. It can help fight cancer or help control side effects (how your body reacts to the drugs you are taking) from other cancer treatments like chemotherapy.
Inhibition of suppressor T lymphocytes (Ts) by cimetidine.
Sahasrabudhe DM, McCune CS, O'Donnell RW, Henshaw EC.
J Immunol. 1987 May 1;138(9):2760-3.
PMID: 2952721
Cyclophosphamide (CY) is the most extensively studied inhibitor of suppressor T lymphocyte (Ts) function. However, repeated administration of CY can abrogate sensitization. Therefore, we were interested in identifying noncytotoxic inhibitors of Ts function as adjuncts in the immunotherapy of Ts-inducing murine tumors. The effect of cimetidine (a histamine type 2 receptor antagonist) and diphenhydramine (a histamine type 1 receptor antagonist) on the Ts mediating tolerance to 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene was studied. We report our data regarding the specific inhibition of Ts by cimetidine.
Effects of perioperative cimetidine administration on peripheral blood lymphocytes and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes in patients with gastrointestinal cancer: results of a randomized controlled clinical trial.
Li Y, Yang GL, Yuan HY, Bai DJ, Wang K, Lin CR, Hu MB, Feng MH.
Hepatogastroenterology. 2005 Mar-Apr;52(62):504-8.
PMID: 15816467
Th1/Th2 balance: the hypothesis, its limitations, and implications for health and disease.
Kidd P.
Altern Med Rev. 2003 Aug;8(3):223-46. Review.
PMID: 12946237
Th1 pathways typically produce activation
of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (Tc), NK cells,
macrophages, and monocytes, all of which can
attack cancer cells and generally defend against
tumors.55 IFN-gamma and other Th1 cytokines are
typically lower in advanced cancer patients, while
the Th2 marker IL-4 can be higher or unchanged
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
Dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids plus vitamin E restore immunodeficiency and prolong survival for severely ill patients with generalized malignancy: a randomized control trial.
Gogos CA, Ginopoulos P, Salsa B, Apostolidou E, Zoumbos NC, Kalfarentzos F.
Cancer. 1998 Jan 15;82(2):395-402.
PMID: 9445198
The effect of dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on T-lymphocyte subsets of patients with solid tumors.
Gogos CA, Ginopoulos P, Zoumbos NC, Apostolidou E, Kalfarentzos F.
Cancer Detect Prev. 1995;19(5):415-7.
PMID: 7585727
H. Weiler
A platelet cloak for tumor cells
Blood, January 1, 2005; 105(1): 5 - 6.
Palumbo and colleagues show that platelets and fibrinogen protect metastatic tumor cells from elimination by NK cells, confirming a striking mechanistic link between activation of the blood coagulation system and the spread of tumor metastases