Yeast beta-glucan amplifies phagocyte killing of iC3b-opsonized tumor cells via complement receptor 3-Syk-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathway

J Immunol. 2006 Aug 1;177(3):1661-9. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.177.3.1661.

Abstract

Anti-tumor mAbs hold promise for cancer therapy, but are relatively inefficient. Therefore, there is a need for agents that might amplify the effectiveness of these mAbs. One such agent is beta-glucan, a polysaccharide produced by fungi, yeast, and grains, but not mammalian cells. Beta-glucans are bound by C receptor 3 (CR3) and, in concert with target-associated complement fragment iC3b, elicit phagocytosis and killing of yeast. Beta-glucans may also promote killing of iC3b-opsonized tumor cells engendered by administration of anti-tumor mAbs. In this study, we report that tumor-bearing mice treated with a combination of beta-glucan and an anti-tumor mAb show almost complete cessation of tumor growth. This activity evidently derives from a 25-kDa fragment of beta-glucan released by macrophage processing of the parent polysaccharide. This fragment, but not parent beta-glucan, binds to neutrophil CR3, induces CBRM 1/5 neoepitope expression, and elicits CR3-dependent cytotoxicity. These events require phosphorylation of the tyrosine kinase, Syk, and consequent PI3K activation because beta-glucan-mediated CR3-dependent cytotoxicity is greatly decreased by inhibition of these signaling molecules. Thus, beta-glucan enhances tumor killing through a cascade of events, including in vivo macrophage cleavage of the polysaccharide, dual CR3 ligation, and CR3-Syk-PI3K signaling. These results are important inasmuch as beta-glucan, an agent without evident toxicity, may be used to amplify tumor cell killing and may open new opportunities in the immunotherapy of cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic / administration & dosage
  • Animals
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / administration & dosage
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Complement C3b / metabolism
  • Complement C3b / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / physiology*
  • Lymphoma / enzymology
  • Lymphoma / immunology*
  • Lymphoma / mortality
  • Lymphoma / therapy
  • Macrophage-1 Antigen / physiology*
  • Macrophages / enzymology
  • Macrophages / immunology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Opsonin Proteins / metabolism
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / physiology*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / physiology*
  • Signal Transduction / immunology*
  • Survival Analysis
  • Syk Kinase
  • Yeasts / immunology
  • beta-Glucans / administration & dosage*
  • beta-Glucans / metabolism
  • beta-Glucans / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Adjuvants, Immunologic
  • Antibodies, Monoclonal
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Macrophage-1 Antigen
  • Opsonin Proteins
  • beta-Glucans
  • Complement C3b
  • beta-1,3-glucan
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • SYK protein, human
  • Syk Kinase
  • Syk protein, mouse