Functional Oligosaccharide and Its New Aspect as Immune Modulation

Short chain saccharides have beneficial functions for health of humans and animals, and are known as functional oligosaccharides. They have been utilized as a food ingredient. Recently, new functions of oligosaccharides have been reported from the field of immune study. In this article, I would like to review the immune enhancing ability of β-glucan oligosaccharides extended from laminarin and yeast cell wall based upon recent reports including our own results. It has been shown that β-glucan oligosaccharides possess an activity to stimulate a secretion of cytokine such as TNF-α from human monocytes or macrophage. In addition, oligosaccharides extending from yeast cell wall, prepared by the method of autolysis, together with digestion by endo-1,3-β-glucanase, have enhanced the modulation of immune system when orally administered as a diet ingredient. It is further discussed about the most effective chain length or structure of β-glucan oligosaccharides for the stimulation of monocytes. The yeast cell wall hydrolyzate that contains oligosaccharide can be supplied with easy process. Such hydrolyzate might become promising for the product of practical use in humans and animals.