Immunopharmacological activity of the purified insoluble glucan, zymocel, in mice.
Although it has been established that soluble glucan in fungi is important to host defence against infection, the importance of insoluble glucans is not clear. We have examined the in-vivo immunopharmacological activity of the insoluble glucan, zymocel. Administration of zymocel increased peritoneal exudate cell number and spleen weight, and enhanced: phagocytic activity, hydrogen peroxide production, and nitric oxide production of peritoneal exudate cells; the extravascular release of Evans blue (which might reflect vascular permeability); lipopolysaccharide-triggered synthesis of tumour necrosis factor (TNF); and recovery of white blood cell number in cyclophosphamide-induced leukopenia. Zymocel also showed anti-tumour activity against sarcoma 180 in mice and also enhanced TNF synthesis and hydrogen peroxide production by macrophage-like cell line in-vitro, i.e. resulted in direct macrophage activation. These results show that zymocel shows varied immunopharmacological activity; it is suggested that the administration of insoluble glucan induces the inflammatory response, the subsequent activation of the immune systems via the cytokine network, and direct macrophage activation.
Suzuki
T
T
Laboratory of Immunopharmacology of Microbial Products, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, Japan.
Ohno
N
N
Chiba
N
N
Miura
N N
NN
Adachi
Y
Y
Yadomae
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002199:Capillary Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D005936:Glucans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
D005936:Glucans; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C084912:Zymocel; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide