GcMAF(Gc protein-derived macrophage-activating factor) is a bioactive protein that arises from vitamin D-binding protein (GC-globulin). Through enzymatic processing-deglycosylation-it turns into a potent activator of macrophages, a type of white blood cell essential for clearing cancer cells, pathogens and damaged tissue webmd.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3it.wikipedia.org+3.
Activates macrophages – improves their ability to phagocytize (eat) and eliminate pathogens or tumor cells ar.iiarjournals.org+7pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+7webmd.com+7.
Inhibits angiogenesis (blood vessel formation) – illustrated in in vitro and animal studies such as CAM assay where GcMAF inhibited the formation of new blood vessels medcraveonline.com+8ar.iiarjournals.org+8tandfonline.com+8.
Stimulates cAMP production in immune cells – a secondary messenger involved in immune activation.
Yamamoto & Suyama (2008): GcMAF deployed in cancer; later two of these studies withdrawn due to irregularities onlinelibrary.wiley.com+15pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+15cdn.clinicaltrials.gov+15.
Pacini et al. (2011): demonstrated inhibition of angiogenesis and stimulation of cAMP in human mononuclear cells it.wikipedia.org+8pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+8jneuroinflammation.biomedcentral.com+8.
Inui et al. (2013): integrative cancer immunotherapy with GcMAF, vitamin C, NK cells and supplementation showed promising individual responses in ≥ 345 patients en.wikipedia.org+3pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+3cdn.clinicaltrials.gov+3.
Albracht (2022): critical review of Yamamoto’s work, emphasizes need for more rigorous, independent studies.
Animal model COVID-19 study (Proskurina et al. 2025): SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters received less viral infection and inflammation after GcMAF sciencedirect.com+9mdpi.com+9mdpi.com+9.
MdPI preclinical model (adjuvant arthritis): GcMAF significantly reduced inflammation in mice with arthritis mdpi.com.
Nabeshima et al. (2020): developed a scalable and clean protocol for production of GcMAF cdn.clinicaltrials.gov+3nature.com+3pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+3.
Retractions: Several of Yamamoto’s early cancer studies have been retracted due to methodological and ethical problems en.wikipedia.org+1pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov+1.
Regulatory warnings: Bodies such as MHRA (UK) and Cancer Research UK warned against unproven claims en.wikipedia.org.
GcMAF demonstrated:
Activate macrophages
Reduce inflammation and blood vessel formation
Immunomodulatory and potentially antiviral effects.
However:
The scientific evidence is still limited.
Many studies are preclinical or case-controlled.
Largest surveys have been withdrawn or are of low quality.
Summary:
GcMAF is an immunomodulatory protein that has anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activity within laboratory and animal studies. However, clinical evidence in humans is still very limited and controversial, so further research is needed.