Preparation and Analysis of Yeast Cell Wall Mannoproteins, Immune Enhancing Materials, from Cell Wall Mutant Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Yeast cell wall matrix particles are composed entirely of mannoprotein and ${\beta}-glucan$. The mannoproteins of yeast cell wall can systemically enhance the immune system. We previously purified and analyzed alkali-soluble ${\beta}-glucans$ [${\beta}$-(1,3)- and ${\beta}$-(1,6)-glucans] [10]. In the present study, a wild-type strain was first mutagenized with ultraviolet light, and the cell wall mutants were then selected by treatment with 1.0 mg/ml laminarinase (endo-${\beta}$-(1,3)-D-glucanase). Mannoproteins of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were released by laminarinase, purified by concanavalin-A affinity and ion-exchange chromatography. The results indicated that the mutants yielded 3-fold more mannoprotein than the wild-type. The mannoprotein mass of mutant K48L3 was 2.25 mg/100 mg of yeast cell dry mass. Carbohydrate analysis revealed that they contained mannose, glucose, and N-acetylglucosamine. Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell wall components, mannoproteins, are known to interact with macrophages through receptors, thereby inducing release of tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) and nitric oxide. Mannoprotein tractions in the present study had a higher macrophage activity of secretion of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and nitric oxide and direct phagocytosis than positive control ($1{\mu}g$ of lipopolysaccharide). In particular, F1 and F3 fractions in mannoproteins of K48L3 enhanced and upregulated the activity of nitric oxide secretion and macrophage phagocytosis by approximately two- and four-fold, respectively.