Purification of soluble beta-glucan with immune-enhancing activity from the cell wall of yeast [Saccharomyces cerevisiae]

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry Vol. 65; no. 4; pp. 837 - 841
• Main Authors: Lee, J.N.(Korea Univ., Seoul (Korea R.)), Lee, D.Y, Ji, I.H, Kim, G.E, Kim, H.N, Sohn, J, Kim, S, Kim, C.W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry 01.04.2001; Japan Society for Bioscience Biotechnology and Agrochemistry
• Subjects: Adjuvants, Immunologic - administration & dosage; Adjuvants, Immunologic - isolation & purification; Adjuvants, Immunologic - pharmacology; Animals; b-Glucan; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Cell Wall - chemistry; CELL WALLS; Cells, Cultured; Chromatography, Affinity; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; DEAE-Cellulose; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; GLUCANS; Glucans - administration & dosage; Glucans - isolation & purification; Glucans - pharmacology; Health. Pharmaceutical industry; IMMUNITY; In Vitro Techniques; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Injections, Intravenous; macrophage function; MACROPHAGES; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - immunology; mannoprotein; Mice; Other active biomolecules; PHAGOCYTES; phagocytosis; Phagocytosis - drug effects; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Production of active biomolecules; PURIFICATION; SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE; Saccharomyces cerevisiae - chemistry; TNF-α; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - biosynthesis; β-glucan; Yeast; Purification; Activation; Biological activity; Cell wall; Fungi; Glucan; Immunostimulant agent; Ascomycetes; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Tumor necrosis factor α; Phagocytosis; Thallophyta; Macrophage
• ISSN: 0916-8451; 1347-6947
• DOI: 10.1271/bbb.65.837

β-Glucan, one of the major cell wall components of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been found to enhance immune functions, especially by activating macrophages. However, a major obstacle to the clinical application of β-(1→3)-glucan is its low solubility in aqueous media. In this study, soluble β-glucan, free of mannoprotein, was prepared, and its effects on TNF-α secretion and phagocytosis by macrophages were evaluated. β-Glucan was first rendered soluble from the yeast cell wall by alkaline extraction (glucan-p1). The extract contained 2.8% of protein which was subsequently removed by successive DEAE-cellulose and ConA chromatography. β-Glucan thus prepared was completely free of mannoprotein and was soluble at neutral pH (glucan-p3). The effects of β-glucan on phagocytosis and TNF-α release activity were investigated. While glucan-p1 moderately induced TNF-α secretion at 200 μg/ml (550 pg of TNF-α/5×10 5 cells), glucan-p3 markedly stimulated macrophages at 200 μg/ml (2,860 pg of TNF-α/5×10 5 cells). Furthermore, glucan-p3 stimulated phagocytosis about 20% more than glucan-p1 did. In conclusion, we purified watersoluble β-glucan which was completely devoid of mannoprotein and effectively stimulated the macrophage function, enabling it to be used as an intravenous injection for sepsis.