Antitumor Activity of Kp, a Protein-polysaccharide from the Mycelial Culture of Phellinus linteus

Phellinus linteus 균사 배양물로부터 분리한 단백다당체 Kp의 항암활성

A protein-polysaccaride fraction Kp(53.9% polysaccharide, 14.2% protein) was separated from the shake-cultured mycelia of a basidiomycetous fungus, Phellinus linteus, and its antitumor activity against sarcoma 180 in ICR mice was investigated. When administered after the tumor implantation, Kp exerted antitumor activity by inhibiting the growth of the sarcoma 180 solid tumor by 71.5% and increasing the life span of the sarcoma 180 ascitic mice by 51.5% at 100 mg/kg. In pretreatment tests, in which Kp was administered once daily for 9 days before the tumor implantation, Kp inhibited the growth of the solid and ascites form of sarcoma 180, respectively, by 35.4% and by 80.3% at 100 mg/kg. However, Kp showed no in vitro cytotoxic activity against a murine leukemia L1210 and a human gastric tumor SNU.1 upto the concentration of $200\;{\mu}g/ml$. From these results, it is clear that the antitumor activity of Kp is exerted through its immunomodulating activity on the host's immune system.