• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.271-274
• /
• 2009

Cereal $\beta$-glucans, linked essentially by mixed $\beta$-(1,4/1,3) glycosidic bonds, were extracted, purified, and structurally identified. Previously chemical structure of barley $\beta$-glucans was characterized from 3 varieties of 'Gang', 'Ohl', and 'Gwangan', and the (1,4)/(1,3) linkage ratio of the $\beta$-glucans was identical. In this study, $\beta$-glucans from 1 barley ('Chal') and 3 oat ('Ohl', 'Samhan', and 'Donghan') varieties were structurally scrutinized, and the linkage pattern of total 7 cereal $\beta$-glucans was compared. The amount of 2 major 3-O-$\beta$-cellobiosyl-D-glucose (DP3) and 3-O-$\beta$-cellotriosyl-D-glucose (DP4) from barley and oat accounted for only 66.6-73.3 and 68.12-81.89% of water-extractable $\beta$-glucan fractions, and the (1,4)/(1,3) linkage ratios of both barley and oat $\beta$-glucans were within very narrow range of 2.27-2.31 and 2.38-2.39, respectively, among the cultivars tested. Structural difference in the cereal $\beta$-glucans was evident when DP3:DP4 ratio in the $\beta$-glucan structure was compared. As a result, this ratio was significantly greater for barley $\beta$-glucan (2.26-2.74) than for oat (1.54-1.66). Chal-B had the greatest DP3 to DP4 ratio among the samples, which in turn reflected the least amount of (1,4)-linkages.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.482-487
• /
• 1996

Five barley and two oat varieties grown in Korea were investigated for soluble, insoluble, and total $(1{\to}3)$, $(1{\to}4)-{\beta}-D-glucans$. Total and insoluble ${\beta}-glucans$ after extraction of soluble ${\beta}-glucans$ with water were analyzed, and the soluble ${\beta}-glucans$ were calculated as the difference between total and insoluble ${\beta}-glucans$. The total ${\beta}-glucans$ in whole barleys were in a range of $3.3{\sim}5.6%$(average 4.4%), and those in pearled barleys were In a range of $3.3{\sim}7.1%$(average 5.2%). In whole barleys, on average, 54% of the ${\beta}-glucans$ was soluble and in pearled barley 46%. Whole oats contained $3.1{\sim}4.0%$ total ${\beta}-glucans$, and dehulling increased the groat ${\beta}-glucans$ contents to $4.0{\sim}4.8%$. Oats demonstrated considerably higher ${\beta}-glucans$ solubility of 84% than barley. ${\beta}-Glucans$ in barley and oats were rapidly extracted at the beginning of the extraction and almost all of the ${\beta}-glucans$ were extracted after $2{\sim}3 hr extraction. As extraction temperature increased from $23^{\circ}C$ to $45^{\circ}C$, more soluble ${\beta}-glucans$ were extracted. However, solubility of barley ${\beta}-glucans$ decreased at a relatively high temperature of $65^{\circ}C$. Steam-cooking reduced the analytical solubility of barley and oat ${\beta}-glucans$, while roasting seemed to render the ${\beta}-glucans$ of barley more soluble.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.437-440
• /
• 2006

To explore the possible usefulness of ${\beta}$-glucans as natural antioxidants, the antioxidant profiles of ${\beta}$-glucan, extracted from Saccharomyces cerevisiae KCTC 7911, and water soluble and insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan, isolated from yeast mutant S. cerevisiae IS2, were examined by five different in vitro evaluation methods: lipid peroxidation value (POV), nitric oxide (NO), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical, reducing power, and ${\beta}$-carotene diffusion assay. The antioxidant activities of all ${\beta}$-glucans evaluated in POV test were comparable to or better than that of the known antioxidant, vitamin C. Remarkably, the ${\beta}$-glucan and water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan possessed 2.5-fold more potent activity than vitamin C at a dosage of 2 mg. Although vitamin C showed 100-fold greater activity than all ${\beta}$-glucans in NO and DPPH tests for measuring the radical scavenging capacity, all ${\beta}$-glucans revealed higher radical scavenging activity than the known radical scavenger, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), in DPPH test. The water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan had 2.6- and 5-fold greater antioxidative activity than water soluble ${\beta}$-glucan in NO and DPPH tests, respectively, showing that all ${\beta}$-glucans were able to scavenge radicals such as NO or DPPH. While all ${\beta}$-glucans revealed lower antioxidant profiles than vitamin C in both reducing power activity and ${\beta}$-carotene agar diffusion assay, the ${\beta}$-glucan and water insoluble mutant ${\beta}$-glucan did show a marginal reducing power activity as well as a considerable ${\beta}$-carotene agar diffusion activity. These results confirmed the potential usefulness of these ${\beta}$-glucans as natural antioxidants.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.144-148
• /
• 2010

$\beta$-Glucans have been known to exhibit antitumor activities by potentiating host immunity by an unknown mechanism. The C-type lectin dectin-1, a $\beta$-glucan receptor, is found on the macrophage and can recognize various $\beta$-glucans. Previously, we demonstrated the presence of $\beta$-glucan receptor, dectin-1, on the Raw 264.7 cells as well as on murine mucosal organs, such as the thymus, the lung, and the spleen. In order to investigate immunopotentiation of innate immunity by $\beta$-glucan, we stimulated a murine macrophage Raw 264.7 cell line with $\beta$-glucans from Pleurotus ostreatus, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Laminaria digitata. Then, we analyzed cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-$\alpha$ and interleukin (IL)-6 by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In addition we analyzed gene expression patterns in $\beta$-glucan-treated Raw 264.7 cells by applying total mRNA to cDNA microarray to investigate the expression of 7,000 known genes. When stimulated with $\beta$-glucans, the macrophage cells increased TNF-$\alpha$ expression. When co-stimulation of the cells with $\beta$-glucan and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a synergy effect was observed by increased TNF-$\alpha$ expression. In IL-6 expression, any of the $\beta$-glucans tested could not induce IL-6 expression by itself. However, when co-stimulation occurred with $\beta$-glucan and LPS, the cells showed strong synergistic effects by increased IL-6 expression. Chip analysis showed that $\beta$-glucan of P. ostreatus increased gene expressions of immunomodulating gene families such as kinases, lectin associated genes and TNF-related genes in the macrophage cell line. Induction of TNF receptor expression by FACS analysis was synergized only when co-stimulated with $\beta$-glucan and LPS, not with $\beta$-glucan alone. From these data, $\beta$-glucan increased expressions of immunomodulating genes and showed synergistic effect with LPS.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
• /
• v.14 no.2
• /
• pp.102-108
• /
• 2009

The comparative immunomodulatory effects of ${\beta}$-glucans isolated from mushroom fungi (Coriolus versicol), yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and bacteria (Agrobacterium) on the major functions of macrophages were evaluated. As parameters of macrophage functions, we examined tumoricidal activity, phagocytosis, nitric oxide (NO) production, and the induction of inducible NO synthetase (iNOS) in RAW264.7 cells, following treatments with ${\beta}$-glucans from the three different sources. The results indicated that all ${\beta}$-glucan treatments significantly induced tumoricidal activity in the RAW264.7 cells, with a remarkable effect shown by the beta-glucan from Agrobacterium at a concentration of $10{\mu}g/mL$. There was also a significant increase in iNOS-NO system activity in macrophages treated with ${\beta}$-glucans extracted from yeast; however, iNOS-NO system activity was not markedly changed by the treatment of ${\beta}$-glucans from C. versicolor mushroom fungi or Agrobacterium. Furthermore, the ${\beta}$-glucans from C. versicolor had a significant phagocytotic effect at concentrations of 1, 10, and $100{\mu}g/mL$. Taken together, the present data suggest that these ${\beta}$-glucans, isolated from three different sources, have different effects on macrophage function, and therefore, may have different clinical uses in different for various types of diseases.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.156-163
• /
• 2003

Background: $\beta$-1,3-glucans are well known to enhance the immune reactions, resulting in antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, anticoagulatory and wound healing activities. $\beta$-1, 3-glucans have various activities depending on molecular weight, degree of branching, conformation, water-solubility and intermolecular association. However, the $\beta$-1,3-glucan linked backbone structure is essential and $\beta$-D-glucopyranosyl units are required for immuno-potentiating activities. Result: In this study, we tested the immunophamacological activities of soluble $\beta$-1,3-glucans and confirmed the following activities: (1) $IFN-{\gamma}$ production in PBMCs in the presence or the absence of PHA, LPS, or IL-18; (2) induction of various cytokines in the spleen and thymus; (3) adjuvant effect on the antibody production; (4) nitrogen oxide synthesis in macrophages; (5) the cytotoxic and antitumor effects on cell lines and ICR mice. Conclusion: These results strongly suggested that $\beta$-1,3-glucans possessed various immuno-pharmacological activities.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.50 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2007

Chemical properties of spray-dried powders separated based on molecular weight from crude protein binding polysaccharide (CP-SD) of Agraricus blazei were examined. Contents of ${\beta}$-glucan in SD-1, SD-2 and SD-3 were 18.67%, 48.24%, and 37.15% respectively, and SD-2 (10-150 kDa) showed the highest molecular weight. Obtained ${\beta}$-glucans were not pure glucan, but was determined to be an acidic proteo-heteroglycan with a large amount of glucose (74.46-80.05%), galactose (8.91-15.2%), and mannose (4.9-5.46%). Composition of their amino acids was mainly aspartic and glutamic acids. FT-IR spectrum revealed SD-1, SD-2 and SD-3 were structures of ${\beta}$-1,3-glucans and ${\alpha}$-1,6-glucans at 890 and 930 $cm^{-1}$, respectively, signals of ${\alpha}$-1,6-glucans for CP-SD was not found. Useful CP-SD was recovered from A. blazei for preparation of three powder types as food materials.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.459-465
• /
• 2002

$\beta$-l, 3-glucans are well known to enhance the immune reactions, resulting in antitumor, antibacterial, antiviral, anticoagulatory and wound healing activities. $\beta$-1, 3-glucans have various activities depending on molecular weight, degree of branching, conformation, water-solubility and intermolecular association. However, the $\beta$-1, 3-glucans linked backbone structure is essential and $\beta$-D-glucopyranosyl units are required for immunopotentiating activities. In this study, we tested the immunophamacological activities of insoluble $\beta$-1, 3-glucan from Agrobacterium sp. R259 KCTC 10197BP and confirmed the following activities: (1) IFN-${\gamma}$ production in PBMCs in the presence or in the absence of PHA, LPS, IL-18, and IL-12; (2) the induction of various cytokines in the spleen and thymus; (3) the adjuvant effect on the antibody production; (4) the cytotoxic and antitumor effects on cell lines and ICR mice. These results strongly suggest that $\beta$-1, 3-glucan from Agrobacterium sp. R259 KCTC 10197BP possesses various immunopharmacologica1 activities.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.2
• /
• pp.267-271
• /
• 2000

Abstract Two glucans (PONGa and PONGb) differing in their anomeric and glycosidic linkage structures were isolated from the water-insoluble materials (PON) of Pleurotus ostreatus basidiocarps, which activated the complement system and were almost soley composed of D-glucose. The isolatIon was achieved by repeated precipitations with ethanol and adsorption on concanavalin A (Con A) of paN suspension in thymol/NaCL Based on methylation analysis. IR, GLC-MS, $^1H,{\;}and{\;}^{13}C-NMR$ spectroscopies, PONGa was found to be a branched a-glucan composed of ${\alpha}-linked$ D-glucopyranose residues and ${\alpha}-linked$ units with 6-branching points, whereas PONGb was a linear ${\beta}-1,3-glucan$ composed mainly of ${\beta}-1,3-linked$ D-glucopyranose residues. The PONGb particles reacted more potently than the PONGa particles as C3 activator in alternative complement hemolysis and crossed-immunoelectrophoresis using anti-human C3, thereby suggesting that the complement activating components of PON were ${\beta}-(13)-glucans rather$ than ${\alpha}-glucan$ components.onents.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.30 no.8
• /
• pp.1870-1872
• /
• 2009