Betaglucaan (Bèta 1.3 Glucaan) , zorgt aldus in vitro studie voor 90 procent sterfte binnen 24 uur door apoptose proces - zelfmoord

Al in 2000 toonde een in vitro studie (in het laboratorium) dat de stof betaglucan, een stofje dat vooral voorkomt in de Maitake, een medicinale paddestoel, een bijzonder goed efect had op het zeflmoordproces - apoptosis - van prostaatkankercellen. Heel opmerkelijk: binnen 24 uur was ca. 90 procent van de prostaatkankercellen dood, aldus het abstract van de studie uitgevoerd door urologen aan de New Yorkse medische faculteit van Valhalla, New York. En gepubliceerd in Mol Urol 2000;4(1):7-14. Lees ook op deze pagina het artikel van Desirèe Röver, medisch journalist over het effect en de werking van betaglucan en op aparte pagina over de Maitake paddestoel. en lees ook de vele informatie over andere medicinale paddestoelstofjes als PSK en PSP.

Mol Urol 2000;4(1):7-14

Induction of Apoptosis in Human Prostatic Cancer Cells with beta-Glucan (Maitake Mushroom Polysaccharide).

Fullerton SA, Samadi AA, Tortorelis DG, Choudhury MS, Mallouh C,
Tazaki H, Konno S

Department of Urology, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York.

[Record supplied by publisher]

Purpose: To explore more effective treatment for hormone-refractory prostate cancer, we investigated the potential antitumor effect of beta-glucan, a polysaccharide of the Maitake mushroom, on prostatic cancer cells in vitro.

Materials and Methods: Human prostate cancer PC-3 cells were treated with various concentrations of the highly purified beta-glucan preparation Grifron-D(R) (GD), and viability was determined at 24 h. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) assay and in situ hybridization (ISH) were performed to unravel the antitumor mechanism of GD.

Results: A dose-response study showed that almost complete (>95%) cell death was attained in 24 h with GD >/= 480 mug/mL. Combinations of GD in a concentration as low as 30 to 60
mug/mL with 200 muM vitamin C were as effective as GD alone at 480 mug/mL, inducing >90% cytotoxic cell death. Simultaneous use with various anticancer drugs showed little potentiation of their efficacy except for the carmustine/GD combination ( approximately
90% reduction in cell viability). The significantly (twofold) elevated LPO level and positive ISH staining of GD-treated cells indicated oxidative membrane damage resulting in apoptotic cell death.

Conclusion: A bioactive beta-glucan from the Maitake mushroom has a cytotoxic effect, presumably through oxidative stress, on prostatic cancer cells in vitro, leading to apoptosis. Potentiation of GD action by vitamin C and the chemosensitizing effect of GD on
carmustine may also have clinical implications. Therefore, this unique mushroom polysaccharide may have great a potential as an alternative therapeutic modality for prostate cancer.