title: Structure of beta-glucan oligomer from laminarin and its effect on human monocytes to inhibit the proliferation of U937 cells.
abstract: We analyzed the human monocyte-stimulating ability of laminarin from Eisenia bicyclis, lichenan from Cetraria islandica, and their oligomers depolymerized with endo-1,3-beta-glucanase from Arthrobacter sp. The respective beta-glucan oligomers with different degrees of polymerization (DP) were fractionated from hydrolytic products of laminarin and lichenan using gel-filtration chromatography. The monocyte-conditioned medium pre-cultured in the presence of a fraction of beta-glucan oligomer (DP>/=8) from laminarin exhibited inhibitory activity against the proliferation of human myeloid leukemia U937 cells, while those pre-cultured with other beta-glucan oligomers and the original laminarin and lichenan showed little or no activity. NMR analysis indicated that the beta-glucan oligomer (DP>/=8) has an average DP value of 13, and its ratio of beta-1,3- to beta-1,6-linkages in glucopyranose units was estimated to be 1.3:1. These results indicate that the beta-1,3-glucan oligomer with a higher content of beta-1,6-linkage stimulates monocytes to inhibit the proliferation of U937 cells.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan.
authors.forename: Zhongcun
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Pang
authors.forename: Kodo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Otaka
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maoka
authors.forename: Kumi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hidaka
authors.forename: Sumio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishijima
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Masatake
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
mesh_terms: D001704:Biopolymers / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D005936:Glucans; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry*; D020298:U937 Cells; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001704:Biopolymers; D005936:Glucans; D011134:Polysaccharides; D047071:beta-Glucans; C008247:laminaran