Patent ID: 8906380

Claim:
A method of increasing an immune response to an antigen in a subject identified as in need thereof, the method comprising: (a) contacting a cell population enriched for CD 14 + mononuclear cells with the antigen and with a composition comprising a fucose-containing glycoprotein fraction from an alkaline extract of Ganoderma lucidum wherein the fucose-containing glycoprotein fraction includes fucose residues bound with α-1,2-fucosidic linkages; (b) cultivating ex vivo the CD14 + mononuclear cells with the antigen and the fucose-containing glycoprotein fraction for a period of time sufficient to increase the differentiation of CD14+ cells into mature dendritic cells; and (c) subsequently administering the matured dendritic cells to the subject, wherein an immune response to the antigen by the subject is increased.