laminaran and Neoplasms

Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides, acidic water-soluble polysaccharides extract from Sargassum fusiforme, are mainly composed of alginic acid, fucoidan and laminaran. Alginic acid is carboxyl-containing polysaccharide formed by joining β-D-mannuronic acid and α-L-guluronic acid through β-(1→4)/α-(1→4) glycosidic bond. Fucoidan, a natural water-soluble sulfated heteropolysaccharide with fucose and sulfuric acid groups as the core structure, is mainly linked by L-fucose through α-(1→3) glycosidic bond and has the strongest biological activity. Laminaran is mainly composed of β-D-glucose through β-(1→3) glycosidic bond linkage. Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides have a variety of pharmacological activities, including antioxidant, anti-tumor, promoting immunity, anti-aging, prompting bone growth, lowering blood glucose, anti-coagulation, anti-virus, anti-bacteria, anti-fatigue, promoting growth and development, and skin protection. These activities are closely related to the functions of fucoidan in Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides, which fucoidan is able to strengthen immune system and antioxidation in human body. In this review, the composition, the isolation and purification, and the biological activities of Sargassum fusiforme polysaccharides are discussed and can bereference for further study.

Topics: Aging; Alginic Acid; Animals; Bacteria; Cell Line; Dietary Carbohydrates; Glucans; Humans; Hypoglycemic Agents; Mice; Neoplasms; Polysaccharides; Rats; Sargassum; Viruses

The ocean is par excellence a fertile territory of biodiversity on our planet. Marine-derived polysaccharides have been applied as functional materials in biomedicine due to their attractive bioactive properties, safety, high availability and low-cost production. Laminarin (or laminaran), a low molecular weight β-glucan storage polysaccharide present in brown algae, can be (bio-) chemically modified to enhance its biological activity and employed in cancer therapies, drug/gene delivery, tissue engineering, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions. This review provides a brief overview on laminarin characteristics, modification strategies and highlights its pivotal biomedical applications.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Antioxidants; Biomedical Research; Cell Survival; Drug Delivery Systems; Gene Transfer Techniques; Glucans; Humans; Neoplasms; Tissue Engineering

Together with chitin, the beta-glucans are components of mycetes' cell walls. A high level of biological efficiency has been found in beta-glucans, especially beta-1,3-D-glucans and beta-1,6-D-glucans isolated from some basidiomycetes. (Biological efficiency refers to the relative ability of beta-glucans to promote a desired response, for example to induce leukocyte activation and to produce inflammatory mediators.) These polysaccharides increase the number of Th1 lymphocytes, which help protect organisms against allergic reactions. A number of beta-glucans, for example pleuran from Oyster (Pleurotus spp.) mushrooms or lentinan from Shiitake (Lentinus edodes) mushrooms, have shown marked anticarcinogenic activity. In addition to having an immunity-stimulating effect, beta-glucans may participate in physiological processes related to the metabolism of fats in the human body. Their application results in a decrease in the total cholesterol content in blood and may also contribute to reductions in body weight.

Topics: Agaricales; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Basidiomycota; beta-Glucans; Cell Wall; Humans; Lentinan; Lipid Metabolism; Neoplasms; T-Lymphocytes

In the last few years, major advances in the treatment of transplant recipients, with hemato-oncological diseases or admitted to the intensive care unit, has been accompanied by an increase in classical fungal infections and by the emergence of uncommon fungal infections. Despite the development of new diagnostic techniques such as galactomannan detection and the availability of new antifungal agents, these opportunistic infections continue to pose a diagnostic challenge, prolong length of hospital stay, and increase costs. In addition, mortality from these infections is high. The present chapter provides a brief review of the epidemiology of these infections, diagnostic advances, and the new antifungal agents that have been developed in the last few years.

Topics: Anidulafungin; Antifungal Agents; Aspergillosis; beta-Glucans; Candidiasis; Clinical Trials as Topic; Critical Care; Diabetes Complications; Disease Susceptibility; Echinocandins; Fungemia; Galactose; Hematologic Diseases; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Mannans; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Mycoses; Neoplasms; Opportunistic Infections

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antibody-Dependent Cell Cytotoxicity; beta-Glucans; Complement Activation; Complement C3b; Complement Membrane Attack Complex; Complement System Proteins; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Drug Design; Glucans; Humans; Immunotherapy; Macrophage-1 Antigen; Membrane Proteins; Mice; Models, Immunological; Neoplasm Proteins; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Experimental

Topics: Angiogenesis Inhibitors; Animals; Bufanolides; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Ginsenosides; Glucans; Humans; Neoplasms; Neovascularization, Pathologic; Pentacyclic Triterpenes; Phytotherapy; Plants, Medicinal; Polysaccharides; Triterpenes

Medicinal properties have been attributed to mushrooms for thousands of years. Mushroom extracts are widely sold as nutritional supplements and touted as beneficial for health. Yet, there has not been a critical review attempting to integrate their nutraceutical potential with basic science. Relatively few studies are available on the biologic effects of mushroom consumption, and those have been performed exclusively in murine models. In this paper, we review existing data on the mechanism of whole mushrooms and isolated mushroom compounds, in particular (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans, and the means by which they modulate the immune system and potentially exert tumor-inhibitory effects. We believe that the antitumor mechanisms of several species of whole mushrooms as well as of polysaccharides isolated from Lentinus edodes, Schizophyllum commune, Grifola frondosa, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum are mediated largely by T cells and macrophages. Despite the structural and functional similarities of these glucans, they differ in their effectiveness against specific tumors and in their ability to elicit various cellular responses, particularly cytokine expression and production. Unfortunately, our data base on the involvement of these important mediators is still rather limited, as are studies concerning the molecular mechanisms of the interactions of glucans with their target cells. As long as it remains unclear what receptors are involved in, and what downstream events are triggered by, the binding of these glucans to their target cells, it will be difficult to make further progress in understanding not only their antitumor mechanisms but also their other biological activities.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Agaricales; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; beta-Glucans; Dextranase; Dietary Supplements; Glucans; Humans; Lentinan; Macrophages; Mice; Monocytes; Neoplasms; Sizofiran; T-Lymphocytes

Cancer incidence continues to be a major health problem possibly because cancer is a complex system comprising many agents that interact in a non-linear manner resulting in many possible outcomes. The degree of complexity of a cancer system could be vast involving multiple endogenous and exogenous agents interacting with the over 10 trillion cells comprising the body. It is hypothesized that the practical management of this complexity may be a key to cancer prevention and possibly treatment. But the management and resolution of such an immensely complex system is difficult and may require a multidisciplinary approach including physics, biology, biochemistry and medical science. Research such as in systems biology involving large data sets may offer resolution in time, but the scale of the task is daunting. In evaluating the hypothesis, this paper proposes a method of resolution of the complex cancer system through a proxy in the form of the vital body system, energy balance, involved in several cancer processes. Although I suggest that the energy balance system is itself complex, it may permit access to factors that may be used in limiting cancer initiation. Meta-analysis related to factors of blood sugar, inflammation, stress and immune response reveal that they could be likely candidates for management. Analysis also reveals certain devices that may give practical effect to these management options. Due to the inherent complexity of a cancer system, multiple devices may need to be applied in a combination. The analysis suggests that the low-risk and low-cost devices metformin, vitamin D and vitamin C, may prove to be suitable for use as a practical cancer prevention strategy. If the presented hypothesis is correct, a practical method for prevention or management of cancer may be possible. A trial to test the hypothesis is proposed.

Topics: beta-Glucans; Decision Support Techniques; Diet; Drug Synergism; Energy Metabolism; Exercise; Glucose; Homeostasis; Humans; Inflammation; Melatonin; Meta-Analysis as Topic; Metformin; Models, Biological; Neoplasms; Stress, Physiological; Systems Theory; Vitamins

Water-soluble β-1,3-glucan (w-glucan) prepared from curdlan is reported to possess various bioactive and medicinal properties. To develop an efficient and cost-effective microbial fermentation method for the direct production of w-glucan, a coupled fermentation system of Agrobacterium sp. and Trichoderma harzianum (CFS-AT) was established. The effects of Tween-80, glucose flow rate, and the use of a dissolved oxygen (DO) control strategy on w-glucan production were assessed. The addition of 10 g L

Topics: Agrobacterium; Antineoplastic Agents; beta-Glucans; Cell Line, Tumor; Fermentation; Glucose; Humans; Hydrolysis; Industrial Microbiology; Neoplasms; Oxygen; Polysorbates; Solubility; Trichoderma; Water

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is an important cause of morbidity/mortality in immunocompromised critically ill patients. New diagnostic strategies for early detection of IPA include the noninvasive biomarkers 1,3-β-d-glucan (BDG), serum, and bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluid galactomannan (GM). The aim of this study was to compare these markers for early detection of IPA in immunosuppressed critically ill patients.. Between December 2014 and December 2015, 49 immunosuppressed patients with respiratory failure were treated at our intensive care unit (ICU). We compared the BDG Fungitell assay with GM Platelia assay in serum and BAL for early detection of IPA. All tests were performed initially after admission at the ICU.. In our study with 49 patients, 13 (26%) had probable IPA. These patients had a higher Acute Physiology And Chronic Health Evaluation II score (28 vs 23, P<.001), Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score (16 vs 14, P<.001), more neutropenia (77% vs 30%, P<.001), worse Horowitz Index (99 vs 73 P<.020), a longer ICU stay (26 vs 17 days, P<.044), and a higher mortality rate (77% vs 58%, P<.001) as compared with patients without probable IPA. The used biomarker BDG presented in patients with probable IPA showed significantly higher levels as compared with patients without probable IPA (375 [103-1000 pg/mL; P<.001] vs 64 [30-105 pg/mL; P < .001]). Comparison of BDG with GM showed that positive serum GM could be detected in only 4 (30%), whereas positive BAL GM could be detected in 12 (92%; mean optical density index, 3.7) of 13 probable IPA cases. These results can be expressed as an overall sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 82% for probable IPA using the BDG Fungitell assay, a sensitivity of 35% and a specificity of 70% using the serum GM Platelia assay, and a sensitivity of 70% and a specificity of 94% using the BAL GM Platelia assay. The negative predictive values of the used tests were 94% for the BDG Fungitell assay, 94% for the serum GM Platelia assay, and 90% for the BAL GM Platelia assay.. 1,3-β-d-Glucan may be a useful marker for patients under surveillance at risk for IPA. In critically ill patients with immunosuppression, early diagnosis of IPA may be improved by BDG as compared with serum GM. However, diagnostic performance and accuracy increase when BDG is run in parallel with GM from BAL; moreover, the association of the 2 parameters has also the advantage of detecting early and reliable IPA.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antineoplastic Agents; APACHE; Aspergillus; Autoimmune Diseases; beta-Glucans; Biomarkers; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; Critical Illness; Early Diagnosis; Female; Galactose; Graft Rejection; Humans; Immunocompromised Host; Immunosuppressive Agents; Intensive Care Units; Invasive Pulmonary Aspergillosis; Length of Stay; Male; Mannans; Middle Aged; Mortality; Neoplasms; Neutropenia; Organ Dysfunction Scores; Organ Transplantation; Respiration, Artificial; Respiratory Insufficiency; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Young Adult

Laminaran and three fractions of fucoidan were isolated from brown alga Alaria angusta. The laminaran AaL was characterized as a typical 1,3;1,6-β-D-glucan (ratio of bonds 1,3:1,6 = 10:1). Fucoidans AaF1 and AaF2 are sulfated heteropolysaccharides, containing fucose, galactose, mannose and xylose. The fraction AaF3 is sulfated and acetylated galactofucan with the main chain represented by a repeating unit → 3)-α-L-Fucp-(2,4-SO3(-))-(1 →. According the data of methylation analysis, AaF3 contains mainly 1,3-linked fucose, less 1,4-linked and 1,4,6-linked galactose residues. The autohydrolysis (37 °C) of fucoidan AaF3 allowed to obtain selectively 2-desulfaled polysaccharide fraction, built up of fucose only, and low molecular weight (LMW) fraction. The negative-ion tandem mass spectrometry of LMW fraction, further hydrolyzed by acid hydrolysis identified the following fragments: Gal-2-SO3(-)-(1 → 4)-Gal, Gal-4-SO3(-)-(1 → 4)-Gal, Gal-(1 → 2)-Gal-4-SO3(-), Fuc-2-SO3(-)-(1 → 4)-Gal, Gal-2-SO3(-)-(1 → 3)-Fuc-(1 → 3)-Fuc, Fuc-2-SO3(-)-(1 → 3)-Fuc-(1 → 4)-Gal. The laminaran AaL and the fucoidan AaF3 exhibited no cytotoxicity in vitro for HT 29, T-47D, and SK-MEL-28 cell lines. The AaF3 fraction suppressed colony formation of HT 29 and T-47D cells, AaL-only HT 29 cells.

Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Cell Line, Tumor; Glucans; Humans; Neoplasms; Phaeophyceae; Polysaccharides

A water soluble β-1,3-glucan schizophyllan (SPG) can be recognized by an immunocyte receptor called dectin-1. When we introduced naphthalene into the side chain of SPG (nSPG), it formed nanogel by physical cross-link and gained capability to ingest hydrophobic compounds such as doxorubicin. Our in vitro assay revealed that this nanogel can be used as specific delivery of anti-cancer drugs to immunocytes.

Topics: Antigen-Presenting Cells; Antineoplastic Agents; beta-Glucans; Doxorubicin; Drug Delivery Systems; Humans; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Models, Biological; Molecular Structure; Nanogels; Naphthalenes; Neoplasms; Polyethylene Glycols; Polyethyleneimine

We recently elucidated the structure of a highly branched 1,3-beta-D-glucan with 6-monoglucopyranosyl side chains, extracted from Aureobasidium pullulans (AP-FBG). Although the biological effects of beta-D-glucans are known to depend on their structures, the effects of a highly branched 1,3-beta-D-glucan on the production of cytokines by leukocytes in mice have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we found that AP-FBG strongly induced the production of various cytokines, especially Th1 cytokines (e.g., IFN-gamma and IL-12p70) and Th17 cytokines (e.g., IL-17A), but did not induce the production of IL-4, IL-10, and TNF-alpha in DBA/2 mouse-derived splenocytes in vitro.

Topics: Animals; beta-Glucans; Cells, Cultured; Cytokines; Fungi; Immunization; Infections; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice, Inbred DBA; Neoplasms; Spleen; Th1 Cells

Antitumor mAb bind to tumors and activate complement, coating tumors with iC3b. Intravenously administered yeast beta-1,3;1,6-glucan functions as an adjuvant for antitumor mAb by priming the inactivated C3b (iC3b) receptors (CR3; CD11b/CD18) of circulating granulocytes, enabling CR3 to trigger cytotoxicity of iC3b-coated tumors. Recent data indicated that barley beta-1,3;1,4-glucan given orally similarly potentiated the activity of antitumor mAb, leading to enhanced tumor regression and survival. This investigation showed that orally administered yeast beta-1,3;1,6-glucan functioned similarly to barley beta-1,3;1,4-glucan with antitumor mAb. With both oral beta-1,3-glucans, a requirement for iC3b on tumors and CR3 on granulocytes was confirmed by demonstrating therapeutic failures in mice deficient in C3 or CR3. Barley and yeast beta-1,3-glucan were labeled with fluorescein to track their oral uptake and processing in vivo. Orally administered beta-1,3-glucans were taken up by macrophages that transported them to spleen, lymph nodes, and bone marrow. Within the bone marrow, the macrophages degraded the large beta-1,3-glucans into smaller soluble beta-1,3-glucan fragments that were taken up by the CR3 of marginated granulocytes. These granulocytes with CR3-bound beta-1,3-glucan-fluorescein were shown to kill iC3b-opsonized tumor cells following their recruitment to a site of complement activation resembling a tumor coated with mAb.

Topics: Adjuvants, Immunologic; Animals; Antibodies, Monoclonal; beta-Glucans; Complement C3; Glucans; Lymphoid Tissue; Macrophage-1 Antigen; Macrophages; Mice; Neoplasms

Topics: Animals; Glucans; Neoplasms; Neoplasms, Experimental; Polysaccharides; Seaweed