beta-Glucans are naturally occurring polysaccharides that are the major cell wall components of fungi. Recognition of beta-glucans is mediated through a membrane-bound pattern recognition receptor called dectin-1, and gene knock-out studies have shown that dectin-1 plays an important role in antifungal immune response in vivo. In this report, we have studied the effect of large particulate (1,3...

There have not been yet enough studies about effects of beta glucan and gliclazide on oxidative stress created by streptozotocin in the brain and sciatic nerve of diabetic rats. The aim of this paper was to investigate the antioxidant effects of gliclazide and beta glucan on oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation created by streptozotosin in brain and sciatic nerve. Total of 42 rats were divid...

The majority of carbohydrates found in edible mushroom are the form polysaccharides, specifically beta-glucans. These beta-glucans have been reported as anticancer, antioxidant, and immunomodulator. This study aimed to investigate potential P. pulmonarius functional food by comparing carbohidrate content (total carbohydrate, beta-glucans, reducing sugars) extracted using microwave assisted extr...

Respirable cotton dust, implicated in the pathogenesis of byssinosis, contains a number of bioactive compounds. These include lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tannins, bacterial peptides, byssinosin, iacinilene C, and 1,3-beta-D-glucan. The exact aetiological agent of byssinosis in such dust has not been definitively identified nor has its mechanism of action on lower lung surfaces been determined. In...

Extravasation of leukocytes from peripheral blood is required for an effective inflammatory response at sites of tissue infection. Integrins help mediate extravasation and navigate the leukocyte to the infectious source. A novel role for integrins in regulating the effector response to a cell wall component of fungal pathogens is the subject of the current study. Although phagocytosis is useful...

A lectin function within CD11b mediates both cytotoxic priming of Mac-1/complement receptor type 3 (CR3) by beta-glucan and the formation of transmembrane signaling complexes with GPI-anchored glycoproteins such as CD16b (FcgammaRIIIb). A requirement for GPI-anchored urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR; CD87) in neutrophil adhesion and diapedesis has been demonstrated with uPAR-knock...

Anti-beta-glucan antibodies elicited by a laminarin-conjugate vaccine confer cross-protection to mice challenged with major fungal pathogens such as Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Cryptococcus neoformans. To gain insights into protective beta-glucan epitope(s) and protection mechanisms, we studied two anti-beta-glucan monoclonal antibodies (mAb) with identical complementarity-deter...

A receptor for beta-glucan was in the present study shown to mediate binding of zymosan particles to resident mouse peritoneal macrophages. Lysosomal enzyme secretion in response to zymosan was maximal at a low particle/cell ratio, continuous for at least 3 h after particle/cell contact and inhibitable by soluble glucan. Latex particles of various size caused no selective secretory response, bu...

An endoglucanase was isolated from cell walls of Zea mays seedlings. Characterization of the hydrolytic activity of this glucanase using model substrates indicated a high specificity for molecules containing intramolecular (1-->3),(1-->4)-beta-d-glucosyl sequences. Substrates with (1-->4)-beta-glucosyl linkages, such as carboxymethylcellulose and xyloglucan were, degraded to a limited extent by...