epiglucan and Chronic-Disease

The consumption of whole grain products is often related to beneficial effects on consumer health. Dietary fibre is an important component present in whole grains and is believed to be (at least partially) responsible for these health benefits. The dietary fibre composition of whole grains is very distinct over different grains. Whole grains of cereals and pseudo-cereals are rich in both soluble and insoluble functional dietary fibre that can be largely classified as e.g., cellulose, arabinoxylan, β-glucan, xyloglucan and fructan. However, even though the health benefits associated with the consumption of dietary fibre are well known to scientists, producers and consumers, the consumption of dietary fibre and whole grains around the world is substantially lower than the recommended levels. This review will discuss the types of dietary fibre commonly found in cereals and pseudo-cereals, their nutritional significance and health benefits observed in animal and human studies.

Topics: Animals; beta-Glucans; Cellulose; Chronic Disease; Dietary Fiber; Edible Grain; Glucans; Health Promotion; Humans; Nutritive Value; Recommended Dietary Allowances; Whole Grains; Xylans

Beta-glucans are advertised as biologically active compounds, with various health claims. We aimed to summarize results about efficacy and safety of commercial oral and inhalation beta-glucan products on human health from randomized controlled trials (RCTs).. We conducted systematic review of RCTs. We searched MEDLINE, CENTRAL and ClinicalTrials.gov. Any commercial product, any types of participants and any health-related outcomes were eligible. Two authors independently screened studies and extracted data. Cochrane risk of bias tool was used. This review did not have any extramural funding. Registration: PROSPERO record no. 42016043539.. We included 30 RCTs that were conducted on healthy or ill participants. Most of the trials reported beneficial effect of beta-glucan, but among the 105 different outcome domains and measures that were used, only three could be considered clinically relevant, while others were various biomarkers and surrogate outcomes such as complete blood count. Included studies on average had 33 participants per study arm, high or unclear risk of bias of at least one domain, and only half of them reported data for safety. More than half of trials that reported source of funding indicated commercial sponsorship from producers of beta-glucan. Only five RCTs reported trial registration.. Commercial beta-glucan products were studied in a number of RCTs whose results can be considered only as preliminary, as they used small number of participants and surrogate outcomes. The quality of many studies was poor and further research and trials on bigger population should be performed before a final conclusion can be made.

Topics: Administration, Inhalation; Administration, Oral; beta-Glucans; Chronic Disease; Humans; Male; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Treatment Outcome

The prevalence of gastritis in humans is constantly growing and a prediction of an increase in this health problem is observed in many countries. For this reason, effective dietary therapies are sought that can alleviate the course of this disease. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of chemically pure oat beta-glucan preparations with different molar masses, low or high, used for 30 days in patients with histologically diagnosed chronic gastritis. The study enrolled 48 people of both genders of different ages recruited from 129 patients with a gastritis diagnosis. Before and after the therapy, hematological, biochemical, immunological and redox balance parameters were determined in the blood and the number of lactic acid bacteria and SCFA concentrations in the feces. Our results demonstrated a beneficial effect of oat beta-glucans with high molar mass in chronic gastritis in humans, resulting in reduced mucosal damage and healthy changes in SCFA fecal concentration and peripheral blood serum glutathione metabolism and antioxidant defense parameters. This fraction of a highly purified oat beta-glucan is safe for humans. Its action is effective after 30 days of use, which sheds new light on the nutritional treatment of chronic gastritis.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Avena; beta-Glucans; Chronic Disease; Double-Blind Method; Fatty Acids, Volatile; Feces; Female; Gastritis; Humans; Lactobacillales; Male; Middle Aged; Osmolar Concentration; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

To compare the standard treatment, diltiazem gel 2%, with Levorag® Emulgel for chronic anal fissures.. This was a single-blinded, randomised, controlled, clinical trial with a non-inferiority design. Patients with a chronic anal fissure were randomised to treatment with diltiazem or Levorag® Emulgel twice daily for 8 weeks. Primary endpoint was complete healing of the anal fissure after 12 weeks. Secondary endpoints included incidence of adverse events and efficacy on pain relief.. In total, 55 patients were included. Inclusion was terminated prematurely due to a slow inclusion rate. Complete fissure healing at 12 weeks follow-up was overall achieved in 31 of 55 (56%) patients, 18 of 29 (62%) in the diltiazem group compared with 13 of 26 (50%) in the Levorag® Emulgel group (P = 0.424). Pain relief was significantly better at day seven in patients treated with diltiazem (P = 0.040) compared with Levorag® Emulgel, whereas there were no differences in early (3 days) or late (12 weeks) pain relief. Three patients (10.3%) developed severe perianal exanthema during diltiazem treatment, whereas no side effects were observed in the Levorag® Emulgel group.. The study demonstrated statistical non-inferiority of Levorag® Emulgel compared with diltiazem in the treatment of chronic anal fissure. Diltiazem resulted in a more prompt pain relief and also in a substantial number of local allergic reactions. Levorag® Emulgel may therefore be an alternative in these patients.. Clinicaltrials.gov no. NCT02158013.

Topics: Adult; beta-Glucans; Chronic Disease; Diltiazem; Drug Combinations; Feasibility Studies; Female; Fissure in Ano; Humans; Male; Pain; Plant Extracts; Wound Healing; Young Adult

Primary fungal infection of the central nervous system (CNS) is rare but often associated with severe prognosis. Diagnosis is complicated since cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples obtained from lumbar puncture usually remain sterile. Testing for fungal antigens in CSF could be a complementary diagnostic tool. We conducted such measurements in CSF from patients with CNS fungal infection and now discuss the usefulness of ventricular puncture. Mannan and (1→3)ß-D-glucan (BDG) testing were retrospectively performed in CSF samples from three patients with proven chronic CNS fungal infection (excluding Cryptococcus), and subsequently compared to 16 controls. Results from lumbar punctures and those from cerebral ventricles were confronted. BDG detection was positive in all the CSF samples (from lumbar and/or ventricular puncture) from the three confirmed cases. In case of Candida infection, mannan antigen measurement was positive in 75% of the CSF samples. In the control group, all antigen detections were negative (n = 15), except for one false positive. Faced with suspected chronic CNS fungal infection, measurement of BDG levels appears to be a complementary diagnostic tool to circumvent the limitations of mycological cultures from lumbar punctures. In the event of negative results, more invasive procedures should be considered, such as ventricular puncture.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Amphotericin B; Antifungal Agents; Antigens, Fungal; beta-Glucans; Biomarkers; Central Nervous System Fungal Infections; Cerebrospinal Fluid; Chronic Disease; Diagnostic Tests, Routine; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Humans; Male; Mannans; Middle Aged; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Triazoles

Chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction play a key role in the development of non-AIDS-related comorbidities. The aim of our study was to characterize the functional phenotype of immune cells in people living with HIV (PLHIV). We enrolled a cross-sectional cohort study of PLHIV on stable antiretroviral therapy and healthy controls. We assessed ex vivo cytokine production capacity and transcriptomics of monocytes and T cells upon bacterial, fungal, and viral stimulation. PLHIV exhibited an exacerbated proinflammatory profile in monocyte-derived cytokines, but not in lymphocyte-derived cytokines. Particularly, the production of the IL-1β to imiquimod, E. coli LPS, and Mycobacterium tuberculosis was increased, and this production correlated with plasma concentrations of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and soluble CD14. This increase in monocyte responsiveness remained stable over time in subsequent blood sampling after more than 1 year. Transcriptome analyses confirmed priming of the monocyte IL-1β pathway, consistent with a monocyte-trained immunity phenotype. Increased plasma concentrations of β-glucan, a well-known inducer of trained immunity, were associated with increased innate cytokine responses. Monocytes of PLHIV exhibited a sustained proinflammatory immune phenotype with priming of the IL-1β pathway. Training of the innate immune system in PLHIV likely plays a role in long-term HIV complications and provides a promising therapeutic target for inflammation-related comorbidities.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; beta-Glucans; Case-Control Studies; Chronic Disease; Cytokines; Female; Gene Expression; HIV Infections; Humans; Immunity, Innate; Inflammation; Interleukin-1beta; Lipopolysaccharides; Male; Middle Aged; Monocytes; Neutrophils

An important comorbidity of chronic inflammation is anemia, which may be related to dysregulated activity of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) in the bone marrow (BM). Among HSPCs, we found that the receptor for IL-33, ST2, is expressed preferentially and highly on erythroid progenitors. Induction of inflammatory spondyloarthritis in mice increased IL-33 in BM plasma, and IL-33 was required for inflammation-dependent suppression of erythropoiesis in BM. Conversely, administration of IL-33 in healthy mice suppressed erythropoiesis, decreased hemoglobin expression, and caused anemia. Using purified erythroid progenitors in vitro, we show that IL-33 directly inhibited terminal maturation. This effect was dependent on NF-κB activation and associated with altered signaling events downstream of the erythropoietin receptor. Accordingly, IL-33 also suppressed erythropoietin-accelerated erythropoiesis in vivo. These results reveal a role for IL-33 in pathogenesis of anemia during inflammatory disease and define a new target for its treatment.

Topics: Anemia; Animals; Annexin A5; beta-Glucans; Bone Marrow; Cell Differentiation; Chronic Disease; Erythroid Precursor Cells; Erythropoiesis; Erythropoietin; Hematopoiesis; Inflammation; Injections; Interleukin-1 Receptor-Like 1 Protein; Interleukin-33; Ki-67 Antigen; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Models, Biological; Myelopoiesis; NF-kappa B; Phosphorylation; Receptors, Erythropoietin; Signal Transduction; Spondylarthritis

Clinicians across all health-care settings are challenged daily by wounds that are slow or static in healing due to time constraints, reduced resources and the negative impact upon the patient's quality of life (QoL). Community settings are particularly challenging due to the varied environments, patient social, psychological and financial constraints, and multi-clinician wound care monitoring. The aim of this clinical evaluation is to clinically evaluate bioactive soluble beta-glucan gel (BSBG) on those wounds that have stalled at four weeks as an adjunct to normal standards of care.. A clinical observational evaluation was undertaken within a large community setting, reviewing patients who self-presented with stalled healing/chronic wounds, and the effects upon adding a BSBG gel twice a week for eight weeks as part of their set standard care. Formulary cleansing and dressing products were continued and results monitored by a designated clinician. All data was collected as part of the patient's normal wound review routine in relation to primary outcome of wound reduction with secondary outcomes relating to pain reduction, slough and necrosis reduction, exudate reduction and adverse events.. At six months, analysis of data demonstrated >2-times a higher rate of healing in chronic wounds with eight weeks' initial treatment and >4-times a higher rate of healing over six months in those patients with ulceration (PU, VLU, DFU). A reduction of per patient care cost saving was achieved across the treatment group compared with the standard care retrospective group.. The administration of a wound healing gel within a moderate size cohort of patients presenting with chronic wounds resulted in improved wound reduction and significant cost savings.

Topics: Bandages, Hydrocolloid; beta-Glucans; Chronic Disease; Cohort Studies; Female; Gels; Humans; Male; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Wound Healing; Wounds and Injuries

The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of this new topical agent as a first line treatment in patients with chronic anal fissures.. Nine centres were involved in the study. Patients with chronic anal fissures were recruited and received Levorag® for 40 days. Follow-up visits were conducted at 10, 20 and 40 days from the recruitment. Primary outcome was the healing rate, secondary outcome the reduction of pain at the end of the treatment measured with a VAS scale.. Fifty patients completed the treatment. No adverse events were recorded. 60% of patients healed completely at the end of the treatment. In those that did not heal the reduction of mean VAS values was 60%.. The use of Levorag® on patients affected by chronic anal fissures achieved in the short term results similar to those experienced by more classic local treatments without any side effect.

Topics: beta-Glucans; Chronic Disease; Dermatologic Agents; Drug Combinations; Emollients; Fissure in Ano; Follow-Up Studies; Gels; Humans; Italy; Pain Measurement; Plant Extracts; Treatment Outcome; Wound Healing

Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a severe disseminated fungal disease that occurs mostly in immunocompromised patients. However, central nervous system IA, combining meningitis and skull base involvement, does not occur only in groups with classic risk factors for IA; patients with chronic renal failure and diabetes mellitus are also at risk for more chronic forms. In both of our proven IA cases, voriconazole monotherapy was effective without surgery, and cerebrospinal fluid and serum 1,3-β-d-glucan test results were initially positive, in contrast to galactomannan antigen results.

Topics: Aged; Antifungal Agents; Aspergillus flavus; Aspergillus fumigatus; beta-Glucans; Candida albicans; Chronic Disease; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Female; Humans; Meningitis, Fungal; Neuroaspergillosis; Otitis; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic; Sinusitis; Treatment Outcome; Voriconazole

Fonsecaea pedrosoi (F. pedrosoi), a major agent of chromoblastomycosis, has been shown to be recognized primarily by C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) in a murine model of chromoblastomycosis. Specifically, the β-glucan receptor, Dectin-1, mediates Th17 development and consequent recruitment of neutrophils, and is evidenced to have the capacity to bind to saprophytic hyphae of F. pedrosoi in vitro. However, when embedded in tissue, most etiological agents of chromoblastomycosis including F. pedrosoi will transform into the sclerotic cells, which are linked to the greatest survival of melanized fungi in tissue. In this study, using immunocompetent and athymic (nu/nu) murine models infected subcutaneously or intraperitoneally with F. pedrosoi, we demonstrated that T lymphocytes play an active role in the resolution of localized footpad infection, and there existed a significantly decreased expression of Th17-defining transcription factor Rorγt and inefficient recruitment of neutrophils in chronically infected spleen where the inoculated mycelium of F. pedrosoi transformed into the sclerotic cells. We also found that Dectin-1-expressing histocytes and neutrophils participated in the enclosure of transformed sclerotic cells in the infectious foci. Furthermore, we induced the formation of sclerotic cells in vitro, and evidenced a significantly decreased binding capacity of human or murine-derived Dectin-1 to the induced sclerotic cells in comparison with the saprophytic mycelial forms. Our analysis of β-glucans-masking components revealed that it is a chitin-like component, but not the mannose moiety on the sclerotic cells, that interferes with the binding of β-glucans by human or murine Dectin-1. Notably, we demonstrated that although Dectin-1 contributed to the development of IL-17A-producing CD3+CD4+ murine splenocytes upon in vitro-stimulation by saprophytic F. pedrosoi, the masking effect of chitin components partly inhibited Dectin-1-mediated Th17 development upon in vitro-stimulation by induced sclerotic cells. Therefore, these findings extend our understanding of the chronicity of chromoblastomycosis.

Topics: Animals; Ascomycota; beta-Glucans; CD11c Antigen; Cell Wall; Chitin; Chromoblastomycosis; Chronic Disease; Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; Humans; Hydrogen Peroxide; Immunocompetence; Lectins, C-Type; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Neutrophil Infiltration; Spleen; Th17 Cells

Zymosan was hydrolysed with HCl and fractionated by ultrafiltration and dialysis to obtain water-soluble fragments A, B and C. Physical and chemical analyses showed that these fractions are composed primarily of glucose and have molecular weights of 8 kDa, 5 kDa and 2 kDa, respectively. A glycosidic linkage analysis indicated that they are mainly composed of β-1,3-glucans. Fragment A, which has the highest molecular weight, contains approximately 30% β-1,6-linked glucans, but fragment C is almost entirely composed of linear β-1,3-glucan chains. The anti-chronic atrophic gastritis activity experiments showed that fragment A has significant activity, the activity of zymosan is quite low and the activities of fragments B and C are in between those of fragment A and zymosan.

Topics: Animals; beta-Glucans; Bile; Chromatography, Gel; Chronic Disease; Disease Models, Animal; Gastric Mucosa; Gastritis, Atrophic; Immunization; Inflammation; Molecular Weight; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Swine; Zymosan

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune mediated disease associated with deregulation of many cell types. It has been reported that different T cell subsets have opposite effects in disease pathogenesis, in particular Th17 and Treg cells.. We investigated whether non-depleting anti-CD4 monoclonal antibodies, which have been reported as pro-tolerogenic, can lead to protection from chronic autoimmune arthritis in SKG mice--a recently described animal model of RA--by influencing the Th17/Treg balance. We found that non-depleting anti-CD4 prevented the onset of chronic autoimmune arthritis in SKG mice. Moreover, treated mice were protected from the induction of arthritis up to 60 days following anti-CD4 treatment, while remaining able to mount CD4-dependent immune responses to unrelated antigens. The antibody treatment also prevented disease progression in arthritic mice, although without leading to remission. Protection from arthritis was associated with an increased ratio of Foxp3, and decreased IL-17 producing T cells in the synovia. In vitro assays under Th17-polarizing conditions showed CD4-blockade prevents Th17 polarization, while favoring Foxp3 induction.. Non-depleting anti-CD4 can therefore induce long-term protection from chronic autoimmune arthritis in SKG mice through reciprocal changes in the frequency of Treg and Th17 cells in peripheral tissues, thus shifting the balance towards immune tolerance.

Topics: Animals; Antibodies; Arthritis; Autoimmunity; beta-Glucans; CD4 Antigens; Cell Polarity; Chronic Disease; Disease Progression; Forkhead Transcription Factors; Gene Expression Regulation; Immunization; Immunocompetence; Interleukin-17; Lymph Nodes; Mice; Synovial Membrane; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Time Factors

In order to establish the reliable cut-off value of galactomannan (GM) antigen as well as that for beta-D-glucan for CNPA diagnosis, we conducted the following study. From 2001 to 2008, in a total of 1511 patients we measured GM and anti-aspergillus antibody simultaneously. These patients had chronic pulmonary disease including old tuberculosis, nontuberculous mycobacteriosis, COPD, and had bullous lung, interstitial lung disease or were suspected to have suspected to have interstitial lung disease. We designated cases as probable CNPA when the sample represented a positive anti-aspergillus antibody. We then analyzed the sensitivity and specificity according to various GM antigen values. When using the GM antigen cut-off value at 0.5, the sensitivity and specificity for CNPA were 63.4% and 68.6% respectively. Using 1.0 for cut-off value resulted in the better specificity for CNPA diagnosis. Similar analysis was performed on beta-D-glucan for CNPA diagnosis. When using D-glucan cut-off value as 20 pg/ml, the sensitivity and specificity for CNPA. These results indicate that the cut-off value of serological examination for infectious disease should be considered by the type of disease.

Topics: Antigens, Bacterial; beta-Glucans; Chronic Disease; Galactose; Humans; Mannans; Necrosis; Proteoglycans; Pulmonary Aspergillosis; Sensitivity and Specificity

Our aim in the study was to investigate the pathogenesis of eosinophilic inflammation in patients with acute eosinophilic pneumonia (AEP), and to determine the levels of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan, which is one of the major components of the cell wall of most fungi, in the BAL fluid (BALF) of those patients with AEP. Six patients with AEP and five patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (CEP) that was in the acute stage and had been newly diagnosed, and nine healthy subjects from the Kurume University School of Medicine and the Social Institute Tagawa Hospital between 1995 and 2001 were entered into the study. In AEP patients, (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan was detected in BALF, and these findings were compared with BALF findings in patients with CEP as well as with those in healthy subjects. In the BALF of AEP patients, the mean concentration of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of CEP patients as well as healthy subjects. In patients with AEP, the mean concentration of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in BALF was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the blood. In four of six patients with AEP, we measured serial changes in (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan levels, and the level of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in the BALF decreased with clinical improvement at follow-up. We concluded that inhaled (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan may be involved in the mechanisms of pulmonary inflammation in patients with AEP.

Topics: Acute Disease; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; beta-Glucans; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Chronic Disease; DNA Fragmentation; DNA, Fungal; Female; Glucans; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pneumocystis; Pulmonary Eosinophilia

Four sawmills, a wood chipping mill, and five joineries in New South Wales, Australia, were studied for the effects of personal exposure to wood dust, endotoxins. (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans, Gram-negative bacteria, and fungi on lung function among woodworkers.. Personal inhalable and respirable dust sampling was carried out. The lung function tests of workers were conducted before and after a workshift.. The mean percentage cross-shift decrease in lung function was markedly high for woodworkers compared with the controls. Dose-response relationships among personal exposures and percentage cross-shift decrease in lung function and percentage predicted lung function were more pronounced among joinery workers compared with sawmill and chip mill workers. Woodworkers had markedly high prevalence of regular cough, phlegm, and chronic bronchitis compared with controls. Significant associations were found between percentage cross-shift decrease in FVC and regular phlegm and blocked nose among sawmill and chip mill workers. Both joinery workers and sawmill and chip mill workers showed significant relationships between percentage predicted lung function (FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEF25-75%) and respiratory symptoms.. Wood dust and biohazards associated with wood dust are potential health hazards and should be controlled.

Topics: Adult; Air Microbiology; Air Pollutants, Occupational; Ascomycota; beta-Glucans; Bronchitis; Chronic Disease; Cough; Dust; Endotoxins; Female; Forced Expiratory Volume; Glucans; Gram-Negative Bacteria; Hazardous Substances; Humans; Lung Diseases; Male; Maximal Midexpiratory Flow Rate; Nasal Obstruction; New South Wales; Occupational Diseases; Occupational Exposure; Prevalence; Sputum; Vital Capacity; Wood