title: Effect of glucosamine and related compounds on the degranulation of mast cells and ear swelling induced by dinitrofluorobenzene in mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Glucosamine has been used safely to relieve osteoarthritis in humans, but the precise mechanism underlying its efficacy is still unclear. In this study, we investigated the direct effects of glucosamine and related compounds on mast cell mediated inflammation using cultured mast cells and an animal model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Dinitrophenyl (DNP)-IgE-sensitized rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells were treated with glucosamine-HCl (GlcN-HCl), N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc), chitin oligomer or chitosan oligomer. Cells were stimulated by DNP-BSA to induce degranulation and released beta-hexosaminedase was determined colorimetrically to measure the degree of degranulation. Dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB) sensitized BALB/c mice were administrated orally with 1 or 0.1mg GlcN-HCl or GlcNAc for 6 days. One hour after the final administration, mice were challenged by DNFB to induce ear swelling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  GlcN-HCl significantly inhibited the antigen-induced degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells at higher than 0.01 mg/mL for 24h-treatment while GlcNAc, a chitin oligomer and a chitosan oligomer had no effect. GlcN-HCl also suppressed intracellular calcium mobilization. GlcN-HCl and GlcNAc significantly suppressed the antigen-induced up-regulation of TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA. Ear swelling and histamine levels of plasma and ear in DNFB-treated mice were significantly suppressed by oral administration of GlcN-HCl or GlcNAc (0.1 and 1mg) for 6 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results strongly suggest that GlcN-HCl and GlcNAc have anti-inflammatory effects in vivo by suppressing the activation of mast cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.
authors.forename: Shota
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Tatsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sugawara
authors.forename: Toshihiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yanagimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015550:Cell Degranulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene / Q000633:toxicity*; D004423:Ear; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005944:Glucosamine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D004139:Dinitrofluorobenzene; D005944:Glucosamine