title: Enhancement of intestinal immune function in mice by β-D-glucan from aureobasidium pullulans ADK-34.
abstract: β-Glucans, glucose polymers that are the main constituents of the outer cell walls of micro-organisms such as fungi and yeast, are known to play an immunostimulatory role. We prepared β-glucan (β-(1-3),(1-6)-D-glucan) from an edible cultured fungus through fermentation techniques using a strain of Aureobasidium pullulans ADK-34. The purity of this β-glucan preparation (AP-FBG) was demonstrated to be high through various instrumental analyses. We then examined the effects of AP-FBG on intestinal immune systems. We prepared Peyer's patch (PP) cells and measured interleukin (IL)-5, IL-6, and IgA production in culture media with AP-FBG. We found that both cytokines and IgA increased; furthermore, IL-6 secreted by PP dendritic cells (PPDCs) cultured in the presence of AP-FBG significantly increased. We tested IgA production after oral administration of AP-FBG for 2 weeks and found that AP-FBG tended to promote the production of IgA in the small intestine. Interestingly, we observed a significant increase in IgA production in the small intestines of mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CY; an immunosuppressant) after oral administration of AP-FBG diet compared with CY-treated and control diet mice. Production of IL-6 and IgA by PP cells and IL-6 production by PPDCs in AP-FBG-fed and CY-treated mice also increased. These results demonstrate that AP-FBG has the ability to activate PPDC and induce IL-6 production and IgA secretion in PP cells. These abilities were more clearly expressed when AP-FBG was orally administered in a CY-induced immunosuppressed condition. Therefore, AP-FBG may be a useful ingredient for preparing functional foods with immunomodulatory activities.
authors.affiliation: Life Science Materials Laboratory, R&D Division, ADEKA Corporation, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo, Japan. a.tanioka@adeka.co.jp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanioka
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tanabe
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hosono
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kawakami
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaminogawa
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubaki
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hachimura
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000737:chemistry*; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005260:Female; D007070:Immunoglobulin A / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D047071:beta-Glucans / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D016207:Cytokines; D007070:Immunoglobulin A; D047071:beta-Glucans; D003520:Cyclophosphamide