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that "the beta-glucan receptors provide a mechanism by which a heightened state of host responsiveness is initiated" The result- ing higher levels of cytokines in the blood and enhanced intercel- lular communication from immune activation messengers mean that the immune system is in a better position to be able to defend the body from invading organisms. It will be shown that such protection can benefit the body in its defence against viruses, bacteria and cancer, and also to help pro- mote rapid wound healing. A Medline Internet search for beta- glucan will typically find over 6,000 published scientific journal articles on this topic, so this is a well-researched subject. that "the beta-glucan receptors provide a mechanism by which a stages of activation, its phagocytic ability, cytokine excretion and heightened state of host responsiveness is initiated" The result- killing ability increases. Hydrogen peroxide, superoxide and ing higher levels of cytokines in the blood and enhanced intercel- nitric oxide are some of the virucidal and tumoricidal chemicals lular communication from immune activation messengers mean that are produced once the macrophage has reached the fully acti- that the immune system is in a better position to be able to defend vated cytotoxic state.* Only then is the fully activated the body from invading organisms. macrophage able to use these chemical weapons to kill bacteria, It will be shown that such protection can benefit the body in its viruses and cancer cells. A normal person with an inactive defence against viruses, bacteria and cancer, and also to help pro- immune system may have macrophages that are still "asleep"; mote rapid wound healing. A Medline Internet search for beta- these macrophages, not realising that a disease is occurring, fail to glucan will typically find over 6,000 published scientific journal respond appropriately and to produce these biological defence articles on this topic, so this is a well-researched subject. chemicals. Once activated, the macrophage also helps to organise and BETA-GLUCAN AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM irect some of the other types of immune system cells. One way Beta-1,3D-glucan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that it does this is through excreting chemicals called cytokines into can be found in a variety of sources in nature, and not only from the blood—chemicals such as interleukins, interferons, tumour yeast cell walls. Various kinds of beta-glucan can be extracted necrosis factor, colony stimulating factor and others.*'" These from medicinal mushrooms, oats, seaweed and even from inside chemicals are in turn detected by other types of immune system the cell walls of bacteria. Common starches are types of alpha- cells such as B-cells, T-cells and natural killer cells, and leads to glucans. Beta-glucan is merely a common polysaccharide the activation of these other types of immune cells around the building block found in a number of species of plants, fungi and body. This process is referred to as the immune cascade, whereby bacteria. It is the active ingredient in the triggering into activation of the oriental medicinal mushrooms, as macrophage and its release of chemi- used in China and Japan for many cal messengers subsequently triggers centuries. into activation other types of immune Glucans are strings of glucose mol- Beta-1 ,»38D-glucan is a system ells around the body: a ecules joined together. Different . nlike normal medical drugs, arrangements of the glucose mole- naturall occurrin chemotherapeutic agents and antibi- g g P' g cules form different glucan structures polysaccharide that can be otics, beta-1.3D-glucan produces a with different molecular weights an . . completely natural cell-mediate result in varying degrees of immune- found Ina variety of sources immune response. The therapeutic enfiancing potencies. From all these in nature, and not only from effect comes about through the body's ifferent types of glucan, it is beta- own natural defence system and no} 1,3D-glucan that has been shown to yeast cell walls. through consuming some toxic sub- have the best immune-stimulating properties. Some types of beta-glu- can are destroyed by stomach acids and so are not orally active, but beta- 1,3D-glucan derived from baker's yeast is unaffected by stomach acid and is completely intact when taken into the bloodstream. ANTI-CANCER EFFECT stance that might leave the body weakened as a result. On the con- trary, one's natural defences are increased. Although beta-1,3D-glucan is extracted from baker's yeast, it is The macrophage is one part of the immune system that is capa- only a tiny particle from within the yeast cell wall and contains no le of killing cancer cells. In addition to organising other immune yeast proteins, so does not adversely affect those who are allergic cells, another function of the macrophage cell is phagocytosis: to yeast. engulfing and then digesting foreign cells and particles. The fact that the immune system macrophage cell has receptor The macrophage is an extremely large cell compared to all sites for beta-1,3D-glucan* suggests the possibility that the other immune cells, and it has a series of long tentacles resem- immune system associates detection of beta-1,3D-glucan with the ling those of an octopus. The macrophage tentacles can grab resence of a disease organism. Doctors sometimes test for the foreign cells, such as cancer cells, and drag them in, engulf them, resence of beta-glucan in order to detect deep bacterial then digest them using the natural toxic chemicals that the infection,’ so scientists also associate the presence of beta-glucan macrophage can produce, such as nitric oxide and hydrogen per- as being indicative of possible bacterial infection. This is because oxide. beta-glucan is an inert building block from inside the cell wall of The ability of the macrophage to digest foreign particles a wide variety of bacteria—just like bricks are used to make a hagocytically varies proportionately with the state of activation rick wall. So because the immune system associates detection of | of the macrophage. When the macrophage is in its dormant or beta-1,3D-glucan as representing a possible undefined bacterial resting stage, its surface is smooth and its ability to engulf cells is infection, the immune system macrophage cell will produce a impaired. As the macrophage becomes more activated, its surface generalised, non-specific immune activation once it detects the comes progressively more wrinkled, which greatly enhances its resence of beta-1,3D-glucan.*’ hagocytic ability. So macrophage activation increases In producing such a non-specific immune response, a hagocytosis. macrophage needs to go through several stages of activation: res- In a study by J. Bogwald et al., the authors showed that glucan- ident, primed, activated and, finally, cytotoxic. Normally the activated macrophages are capable of killing different types of macrophage may be "asleep", so to speak, in its resident state, in cancer cells such as melanoma and mastocytoma. The authors which case it is smooth, inactive and producing few chemicals said that "macrophages stimulated by an insoluble beta-1,3D- such as cytokines. As the macrophage goes through the various glucan from yeast cell walls were able to destroy tumour cells, as Beta-1,3D-glucan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that can be found in a variety of sources in nature, and not only from yeast cell walls. ANTI-CANCER EFFECT The macrophage is one part of the immune system that is capa- le of killing cancer cells. In addition to organising other immune cells, another function of the macrophage cell is phagocytosis: engulfing and then digesting foreign cells and particles. The macrophage is an extremely large cell compared to all other immune cells, and it has a series of long tentacles resem- ling those of an octopus. The macrophage tentacles can grab oreign cells, such as cancer cells, and drag them in, engulf them, then digest them using the natural toxic chemicals that the macrophage can produce, such as nitric oxide and hydrogen per- oxide. The ability of the macrophage to digest foreign particles hagocytically varies proportionately with the state of activation of the macrophage. When the macrophage is in its dormant or resting stage, its surface is smooth and its ability to engulf cells is impaired. As the macrophage becomes more activated, its surface comes progressively more wrinkled, which greatly enhances its hagocytic ability. So macrophage activation increases hagocytosis. In a study by J. Bogwald et al., the authors showed that glucan- activated macrophages are capable of killing different types of cancer cells such as melanoma and mastocytoma. The authors said that "macrophages stimulated by an insoluble beta-1,3D- glucan from yeast cell walls were able to destroy tumour cells, as 34 - NEXUS FEBRUARY —- MARCH 2001