Effect of Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, a Dried Yeast Containing Biogermanium, on the Production of Antibodies by B Cells

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Germanium compounds are increased to use in nutrient foods and medicines in terms of antibiotics to microbes, anticancer, modulation of immune system and neutralizing heavy metal toxins. Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, containing stable organic germanium and bound to the yeast protein was developed by Geranti Pharm. LTD. and the modulation effect in the immune system was examined in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: The compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast, was fed to female Balb/c mice (each group has 10 mice) for 4 weeks and the yeast powder and steamed red ginseng powder were used as control during the same feeding time points. During 4 weeks there was no symptom to be considered, and after 4 weeks feeding all mice were sacrificed to check the changes of related immune cells and subsidiary responses (i.e. cell counting, FACS, MTT, LDH, PFC assay). RESULTS: In pre-post comparison, B cell population was increased in the group of Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast in a dose dependent manner (100 to 800 mg/kg). However, the population of T cell, dendritic cell and macrophage was not comparably changed in all doses. The ability of cytokine production and proliferation was almost same level as shown in control group. In contrast, PFC assay informed that the compound increase the antibody production ability when fed over 200 mg/kg implying that the increase of PFC number might be due to the increase of B cells. CONCLUSION: Over the entire study, we concluded that the compound, Geranti Bio-Ge Yeast has better potential in immune response in terms of B cell proliferation than that of positive control, red ginseng, and the compound can be one of the future candidates for a new supplementary source improving immune system activity.