title: Mitogenic activity of particulate yeast beta-(1-->3)-D-glucan and its water-soluble derivatives.
abstract: Particulate beta-D-glucan was isolated from baker's yeast using autolysis and delipidization of the cells, followed by alkaline and acid treatment. The residual water-insoluble glucan termed cerevan has a beta-(1-->3)-linked backbone with beta-(1-->6)-linked short side chains. In order to achieve water solubility of the glucan, various derivatives were prepared (carboxymethyl-,carboxyethyl-,hydroxyethyl-,sulfoethyl-), and the beta-glucan was oxidized to glucuronoglucan. Their solubility, degree of substitution (DS), and molecular weight distribution (Mw) were compared. The immunomodulatory activity of these preparations was investigated in mitogenic and co-mitogenic tests on rat thymocytes. Cerevan showed higher stimulation indices compared with the known immunomodulator zymosan. Of the water-soluble derivatives, sulfoethylglucan was found to be the most active. Of the carboxymethyl derivatives of various DS, the preparation with DS = 0.75 exhibited the highest activity. Water-soluble carboxymethyl preparations with DS > 1.0 and low-molecular-weight glucuronoglucan were inactive.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemistry, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sandula
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Machová
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hríbalová
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000478:Alkylation; D000818:Animals; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000737:chemistry; D005936:Glucans / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008745:Methylation; D008934:Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010316:Particle Size; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000737:chemistry*; D012995:Solubility; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D015054:Zymosan / Q000494:pharmacology; D047071:beta-Glucans
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D005936:Glucans; D008934:Mitogens; D047071:beta-Glucans; D015054:Zymosan; C033363:beta-1,3-glucan