2011 – Biobran

Activation of Human Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells In Vitro by the Biological Response Modifier Arabinoxylan Rice Bran (MGN-3/Biobran)

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:20:00 +0000

Arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN—3/Biobran) is a potent biological response modifier (BRM) that activates natural killer (NK) cells, T cells and monocytes. Currently, little is known regarding the effects of MGN-3 on dendritic cells (DCs), the cell type that bridges innate and adaptive immunity. Therefore, we examined the stimulatory effects of MGN-3 on DCs. Human monocyte-derived DCs were treated with MGN-3 at different concentrations (5-20 µg/ml) for 24 hours in vitro. Activation of DCs was determined by assessing the expression of co-stimulatory and maturation markers (CD40, CD80, CD83, CD86 and HLA-DR) by flow cytometry, and production of cytokines by ELISA. DC function was determined by assessing their ability to activate naive T cells. Activation of T cells was assessed by measuring cell proliferation and cytokine production. MGN-3 treatment, in a dose-dependent manner, resulted in: 1) up-regulation of the surface expression of CD83 and CD86, on DCs; 2) an increase in the production ofpro-inflammatory and immuno—regulatory cytokines (IL-lβ}, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, IL-12p40 and low levels of IL-12p70 and IL-2) by DCs; and 3) MGN-3 stimulated DC induced CD4T cell proliferation and their production of cytokines, IFN-7, lL-10, IL-17. Results suggest that MGN-3 functions as a natural adjuvant for DC activation and thus may be used in DC-based vaccine strategies against infections and cancer.

The clinical effectiveness of BioBran in immunotherapy for patients with hepatitis B

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:19:00 +0000

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a serious global health problem with devastating consequences of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. More efficacious treatments, mass immunization programs, and safe injection techniques are essential for eliminating HBV infection and reducing global HBV-related morbidity and mortality. Antiviral therapy has been the primary treatments to date. However, conventional treatment has undesirable side-effects and continuous treatment can lead to the development of resistance. In addition, antiviral medicines are costly, thousands of dollars per year, and are not widely available in many countries, especially in the developing world. BioBran is a food supplement that is combined with conventional treatment to improve the outcome of the disease. There were 3 cases of viral B hepatitis patients who have treated by the combination of conventional antiviral therapy and BioBran were described. In these cases, blood samples were taken to measure liver function and immunopotency, and the results were compared with changes in clinical and image condition. Improvements were noted in most of the cases. Finally, some remarks were provided to enhance the effectiveness of treatment progress.

Synergistic apoptotic effect of Arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN-3/Biobran) and Curcumin (Turmeric) on human multiple myeloma cell line U266 in vitro

admin — Sun, 14 Aug 2011 18:17:00 +0000

The present study was carried out to investigate the synergistic apoptotic potential of arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN-3/Biobran) and curcumin (turmeric) on human multiple myeloma (MM) cell line U266 , in vitro. U266 cells were cultured with MGN-3 (50 or 100µg/ml) and curcumin (2.5-10µM) for 3 days. The elfects of MGN-3 and curcumin on the growth and survival of the U266 cells were determined by trypan blue, MTT assay flow cytometry analysis of cancer cell cycle, and apoptosis. Expression of proapoptotic Bax, and antiapoptotic Bcl2 was determined by Western blot analysis. Treatment with MGN—3 alone or curcumin alone caused a dose-dependent inhibition in the proliferation ofU266 cells. However, a synergistic elfect was noticed post-treatment with both agents that maximized at 100µg/ml MGN-3 plus 10µM curcumin. This synergy was characterized by an 87% decrease in cell number and a 2.6 fold increase in the percentage of apoptotic U266 cells, Cell cycle analysis showed a 53% decrease in the percentage ofcells in the G0-G1 phase treated with MGN-3 and curcumin (from 36% to 17%). Analysis ofthe expression of the pro and antiapoptotic molecules Bax and Bcl-2 revealed synergistic effects of these agents, as the expression of Bcl-2 was decreased and Bax was increased. This resulted in a cellular microenvironment favorable for apoptosis. We conclude that MGN-3 and curcumin synergize in the induction of U266 cell apoptosis. This data may establish the foundation for in viva studies that could have therapeutic implications.