Research status of the extraction methods, biological activites and application of yeast β-glucan / 中国生化药物杂志

By searching and analizing the related literatures of recent years, the extraction methods, biological activites and application of yeastβ-glucan were reviewed.It is found that there are many kinds of extraction methods, including acid method, alkali method, acid-alkali method, alkali-enzymatic method, autolysis-enzyme-alkali method, induced autolysis-alkali method, microwave assisted alkali-enzyme method, autolysis-ultrasonic coupling method, enzymatic method, etc.There are lots of biological activity study report on yeast β-glucan, envolving the activities of immune, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-radiation, lowering blood lipid, and regulating intestinal flora as prebiotics, etc.Yeast β-glucan is widely used in animal breeding industry, food industry and cosmetics industry.From the review we can know that seeking efficient, fast, pollution-free yeastβ-glucan extraction methods is the hot research point, and it will have more applications in food and cosmetics industries as good biological response regulator in the future .

Mitochondrial calcium uniporter inhibition attenuates mouse bone marrow-derived mast cell degranulation induced by beta-1,3-glucan

Mast cells are primary mediators of allergic inflammation. Beta-1,3-glucan (BG) protects against infection and shock by activating immune cells. Activation of the BG receptor induces an increase in intracellular Ca2+, which may induce exocytosis. However, little is known about the precise mechanisms underlying BG activation of immune cells and the possible role of mitochondria in this process. The present study examined whether BG induced mast cell degranulation, and evaluated the role of calcium transients during mast cell activation. Our investigation focused on the role of the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) in BG-induced degranulation. Black mouse (C57) bone marrow-derived mast cells were stimulated with 0.5 microg/ml BG, 100 microg/ml peptidoglycan (PGN), or 10 microM A23187 (calcium ionophore), and dynamic changes in cytosolic and mitochondrial calcium and membrane potential were monitored. BG-induced mast cell degranulation occurred in a time-dependent manner, and was significantly reduced under calcium-free conditions. Ruthenium red, a mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter blocker, significantly reduced mast cell degranulation induced by BG, PGN, and A23187. These results suggest that the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter has an important regulatory role in BG-induced mast cell degranulation.

ß-1-3 Glucan no tratamento do câncer de intestino / ß-1-3 Glucan in bowel cancer treatment

Objetivo: Avaliar a ação do ß-1-3 glucan na resposta imunológica de pacientes portadores de cáncer de intestino submetidos à cirurgia, quimioterapia e radioterapia. Método: Estudo retrospectivo de 75 pacientes, analisando as variações dos valores dos leucócitos, linfócitos e subpopulações CD4 e CD8 com o uso de ß-1-3 glucan. Resultados: Houve um aumento no número de todas as linhagens celulares estudadas, principalmente a da subpopulação de linfócitos CD4 (29,70%). A análise estatística pelo teste "t" de Student e pelo de Wilcoxon mostrou que os resultados foram significativos. Conclusão: O uso do ß-1-3 glucan foi capaz de restaurar e manter a resposta imune, reduzir os danos imunossupressores da quimioterapia e radioterapia e o seu uso não demonstrou efeitos colaterais.

Objective: To review the effectiveness of ß-1-3 glucan in the immune response of patients with intestinal cancer submitted to surgery, chemo and radiotherapy. Methods: Retrospective study on 75 patients, analyzing the variations on the leucocytes, lymphocytes and CD4/CD8 lymphocyte subpopulations using ß-1-3 glucan. Results: There was an increase in the general cellular sample, especially on CD4 lymphocyte subpopulations. Statistica analyses via Student's t-test and the Wilcoxon test have showed that the resultshave been significant. Conclusion: The use of ß-1-3 glucan was able to restore and keep the immune response in check, and to reduce the immunosupressor damages from chemo and radiotherapy. There were no side effects.

Deletion of GBG1/AYR1 Alters Cell Wall Biogenesis in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We identified a gene for beta-1,3-glucan synthesis (GBG1), a nonessential gene whose disruption alters cell wall synthesis enzyme activities and cell wall composition. This gene was cloned by functional complementation of defects in beta-1,3-glucan synthase activity of the the previously isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant LP0353, which displays a number of cell wall defects at restrictive temperature. Disruption of the GBG1 gene did not affect cell viability or growth rate, but did cause alterations in cell wall synthesis enzyme activities: reduction of beta-1,3-glucan synthase and chitin synthase III activities as well as increased chitin synthase I and II activities. GBG1 disruption also showed altered cell wall composition as well as susceptibility toward cell wall inhibitors such as Zymolyase, Calcofluor white, and Nikkomycin Z. These results indicate that GBG1 plays a role in cell wall biogenesis in S. cerevisiae

Immune Stimulating Efficacy of Soluble beta-1,3-glucans

BACKGROUND: beta-1,3-glucans are well known to enhance the immune reactions, resulting in antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, anticoagulatory and wound healing activities. beta-1, 3-glucans have various activities depending on molecular weight, degree of branching, conformation, water-solubility and intermolecular association. However, the beta-1,3-glucan linked backbone structure is essential and beta-D-glucopyranosyl units are required for immuno-potentiating activities. RESULT: In this study, we tested the immunophamacological activities of soluble beta-1,3-glucans and confirmed the following activities: (1) IFN-gamma production in PBMCs in the presence or the absence of PHA, LPS, or IL-18; (2) induction of various cytokines in the spleen and thymus; (3) adjuvant effect on the antibody production; (4) nitrogen oxide synthesis in macrophages; (5) the cytotoxic and antitumor effects on cell lines and ICR mice. CONCLUSION: These results strongly suggested that beta-1,3-glucans possessed various immuno-pharmacological activities