title: Stimulation of TNF-alpha release by fungal cell wall polysaccharides.
abstract: Carboxymethylated derivatives were prepared from the (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan isolated from the cell wall of baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and from the chitin-glucan complex of the mycelium of the industrial filamentous fungus Aspergillus niger. The polysaccharides were applied to peritoneal mouse macrophages and after a 2-h incubation the release of TNF-alpha by the stimulated macrophages was measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. As the third polysaccharide stimulant, a water-soluble derivative of chitin was assayed and the observed cytokine release was compared with the control experiment. In three concentrations of the polysaccharides applied, carboxymethyl glucan revealed a dramatic increase in the TNF-alpha release, while addition of carboxymethyl chitin-glucan resulted only in a moderate enhancement, and carboxymethyl chitin was inactive. The results indicate that fungal polysaccharides, especially (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, are potent macrophage stimulators and activators of TNF-alpha release, which implies their potential application in antitumor therapy.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Biology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Ddbravska cesta 21, 84551 Bratislava, Slovakia.
authors.forename: Juraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Majtán
authors.forename: Grigorij
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kogan
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kovácová
authors.forename: Katarína
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bíliková
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simúth
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000502:physiology*; D002473:Cell Wall / Q000502:physiology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha