Chemistry of beta-1,3/1,6-glucans Beta-glucans comprise a very diverse group of polysaccharides (even paper) in which glucose molecules as the only building block are linked together by beta-linkages. Only very few beta-glucan structures, notably beta-1,3/ 1,6-glucans, are bioactive in the sense that they interact with receptors on immune cells and elicit specific biological responses. Beta-1,3...

Family GH16 glycoside hydrolases can be assigned to five subgroups according to their substrate specificities, including xyloglucan transglucosylases/hydrolases (XTHs), (1,3)-beta-galactanases, (1,4)-beta-galactanases/kappa-carrageenases, "nonspecific" (1,3/1,3;1,4)-beta-D-glucan endohydrolases, and (1,3;1,4)-beta-D-glucan endohydrolases. A structured family GH16 glycoside hydrolase database ha...

PGG-Glucan is a soluble beta-glucan immunomodulator that enhances a variety of leukocyte microbicidal activities without activating inflammatory cytokines. Although several different cell surface receptors for soluble (and particulate) beta-glucans have been described, the signal transduction pathway(s) used by these soluble ligands have not been elucidated. Previously we reported that PGG-Gluc...

(1,3;1,4)-beta-d-Glucan (beta-glucan) accounts for 20% of the total cell walls in the starchy endosperm of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and is an important source of dietary fiber for human nutrition with potential health benefits. Bioinformatic and array analyses of gene expression profiles in developing caryopses identified the CELLULOSE SYNTHASE-LIKE F6 (CSLF6) gene as encoding a putative beta-...

PURPOSE Breast cancer is the most common female malignancy in the world. Beta glucan may improve quality of life in cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. The aim of this trial was to determine the effect of Beta glucan on quality of life in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS This study was conducted on 30 women with breast carcinoma. The eligible participants were ran...

Prolactin (PRL) is a polypeptide hormone of the anterior pituitary gland that was originally named for its ability to promote lactation. In the present study, the mechanism of beta-glucan effect on GH3/B6 cells in the synthesis of prolactin has been investigated. In order to study the synthesis and secretion of prolactin, GH3 cell lines which is derived from pituitary tumors was used. Furthermo...

The biochemical and morphological changes of the yeastlike (Y) form to the mycelial (M) form of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis were examined. The main polysaccharide of hexoses of the Y-form cell wall was alpha-glucan, whereas the polysaccharides of the M-form cell wall were beta-glucan and galactomannan. The alpha-glucan of the Y form contained mainly alpha-(1 --> 3)-glycosidic linkage. The bet...

BACKGROUND beta-Glucan can reduce serum concentrations of total and LDL cholesterol. The mechanism of this action is not clear, however, and it is difficult to predict the cholesterol-lowering effect of a food product enriched with beta-glucan. OBJECTIVES We examined the effects of a beta-glucan-enriched fruit juice on serum lipids and lipoproteins and on markers of cholesterol absorption (se...

Graft failure and extrahepatic organ complications, which frequently develop after transplantation, may be related to inflammatory mediators stimulated by endotoxin (ET). The role of endotoxemia after liver transplantation is controversial and may depend upon differences in the ET assay method used in the various contradicting studies. While the standard Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) is reacti...