title: Cytokine synthesis of human monocytes stimulated by triple or single helical conformer of an antitumour (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan preparation, sonifilan.
abstract: It has been suggested that the immunopharmacological activity of soluble (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan depends on it's conformation in mice. In this study, we examined the relationship between the conformation of Schizophyllan (SPG), a high molecular weight (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, and cytokine productivity in an in vitro human system. Monocyte-like human cell lines, THP-1 and U-937, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were used. THP-1 and U-937 cells were differentiated by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) before use. SPG usually has a triple helical conformation in water, but it was modified by treatment with aqueous sodium hydroxide to become a single helical conformer (SPG-OH). SPG or SPG-OH was added to the macrophage cell culture and gene expression and translation of several cytokines was analyzed by RT-PCR, ELISA, or bioassays. Differentiated THP-1 expressed high levels of cytokine genes, such as IL-8, in response to SPG-OH. High levels of IL-12 p70 were detected from THP-1 cells stimulated with SPG-OH. U-937 cells expressed high levels of IL-8 and TNF-alpha after SPG-OH treatment. Furthermore, PBMC isolated from healthy donors also strongly reacted with SPG-OH but not with SPG. High concentrations of TNF-alpha were detected in SPG-OH-stimulated PBMC cultures. These data suggest that the biological activities of SPG are strongly associated with its conformation in humans.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopharmacology of Microbial Products, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Science, Japan.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hirata
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tsuzuki
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ohno
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saita
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yadomae
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002236:Carbohydrate Conformation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009000:Monocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012566:Sizofiran / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012972:Sodium Hydroxide; D012566:Sizofiran