[ rapid method for extraction of water soluble beta[1,3] glucan from the cell wall of candida albicans]

In recent decades, beta-glucans have been used as important complementary and alternative medicines for numerous immunocompromised individuals and those with advanced cancer. The most active form of beta-glucans is beta[1,3]D-glucan and its most common source is cell wall of Candida albicans. Recently it has been introduced as a nano particle design to be used as a carrier for drug delivery. The current study researches a rapid method for the extraction of beta[1,3]D-glucans. The present study was conducted at Tarbiat Modares Medical University in 2012. Candida solubilized beta-glucans were obtained by oxidation of the cell wall with sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide. The particle part could be solubilized by treatment with dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO] and zymolyase digestion to extract beta[1,3]Dglucan. The soluble fractions were lyophilized. We performed the Callose test to verify the presence of beta[1,3]D-glucans. Solubilized fractions were dissolved in D2O and 1HNMR spectra were measured. The soluble beta[1,3]D-glucan fraction which was derived from 1 g of dried Candida albicans germ tube weighed 190 mg. beta[1,3]D-glucan was verified by the Callose test and [1]H-NMR test compared with Curdlan [standard]. [1]H-NMR spectra verified the existence of beta[1,3]D-glucan in the final product. In the present study, extraction of beta[1,3]D-glucan by oxidation of the cell wall using sodium hypochlorite yielded more pure beta[1,3]D-glucans in comparison with other extraction methods. Thus it might represent a rapid method of extraction.

Effect of chitosan grafted polyethylenimine nanoparticles as a gene carrier on mesenchymal stem cells viability

This study discusses the effect of complexes of chitosan grafted polyethylenimine[Ch-PEI] with plasmid DNA on viability of mesenchymal stem cells[MSCs] derived from human marrow. Ch-PEI/pDNA nanoparticles were synthesized through the complex coacervation method using pIRES plasmid containing Green Fluorescent Protein [GFP] gene. To confirm the complexation, samples were run through an agarose gel. Human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were studied for the cytotoxicity of the nanoparticles by MTT assay. MTT results indicated Ch-PEI does not have any significant cytotoxicity compared with PEI and Lipofectamine2000 leading to 40% cytotoxicity. According to the results it seems that grafting chitosan with PEI improves the MSCs viability