Interleukin-12 fuels Natural Killer Cells and the Immune Response

Agaricus blazei (ABM) has demonstrated its ability to induce interluekin-12 in both in vitro as well as in vivo research.

In vitro research demonstrated ABM caused in increase in interleukin-12 production in human peripheral mononuclear cells (PBMC), monocytes, and macrophages.

In vivo research demonstrated ABM's effect on interleukin-12 in mice. Mice given ABM were noted to have increased activity of Natural Killer cells when compared to mice without ABM. Knowing Natural Killer cells are stimulated by interleukin-12, ABM was administered to mice which due to a genetic mutation, are unable to produce interleukin-12. These mice did not experience an increase in Natural Killer cell activity. This result strongly suggests that ABM increases Natural Killer cell activity by stimulating the production of interluekin-12.

Interleukin-12 has many jobs in the immune system. Some of its roles are presented below.

1. IL-12 increases activity of Natural Killer cells and T lymphocytes.
2. IL-12 stimulates production of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis
factor-alpha (TNF-α), two important cytokines (signalling molecules) of the immune system.
3. Possible protection from food allergies due to research which has revealed a lack of IL-12 is associated with severe food allergys in animal models.


References:
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Yuminamochi E, Koike T, Takeda K, Horiuchi I, Okumura K (2007), "Interleukin-12- and interferon-gamma-mediated
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6254576.stm