Regulation on maturation and function of dendritic cells by Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (Gl-PS) exhibits a variety of immunomodulatory activities, and dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen presenting cells, which are pivotal for initiation of primary immune response. In this study, the regulatory effects of Gl-PS on maturation and function of cultured murine bone marrow derived DC were investigated in vitro. Gl-PS (0.8, 3.2, or 12.8 microg/ml) could increase the co-expression of CD11c and I-A/I-E molecules on DC surface, promote mRNA expression of cytokine IL-12 p40 in DC and augment protein production of IL-12 P40 in culture supernatants. The lymphocyte proliferation of mixed lymphocyte culture (MLC) induced by mature DC was enhanced by Gl-PS, either. Gl-PS was shown to promote not only the maturation of cultured murine bone marrow derived DC in vitro, but also the immune response initiation induced by DC.