Effect of glucans on the antitumor activity of grifolan.

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Abstract
The effects of antitumor-active [.beta.-1,3-glucan (grifolan)] and inactive [.beta.-1,6(islandican), .alpha.-1,4-(starch)]glucans in mice were compared. .beta.-1,6-Glucan enhanced the antitumor activity of grifolan whereas .alpha.-1,4-glucan showed a suppressive effect on the antitumor activity of grifolan. When these glucans were injected i.p into normal mice, the glucans disappeared gradually. The rate of disappearance was in the order .alpha.-1,4 > .beta.-1,6 > .beta.-1,3. Grifolan induced peritoneal exudate cells, but .beta.-1,6 and .alpha.-1,4-glucans did not. Only .alpha.-1,4-glucan was degraded by the lysate of the peritoneal exudate cells. These results indicate that the antitumor activity of .beta.-1,3-glucan can be positively or negatively modulated by other glucans, and that glucans showing different antitumor effects have a variety of actions and fates in mice.