Immunostimulant oxidized β-glucan conjugates

• DOI: 10.1016/s1567-5769(00)00021-7
• Publication Date: 2002-07-25T19:58:31Z
• Authors: G.G Cross; H.J Jennings; D.M Whitfield; C.L Penney; B Zacharie; L Gagnon
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; B-Lymphocytes; Macrophages; Molecular Sequence Data; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; In Vitro Techniques; 3. Good health; Killer Cells, Natural; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Adjuvants, Immunologic; Carbohydrate Sequence; Animals; Humans; Female; Glucans; Oxidation-Reduction; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic

beta-Glucans are polysaccharides that act as nonspecific immune system stimulants. However, many beta-Glucans are sparingly soluble in water. This work describes an oxidative procedure, which solubilizes the beta-Glucan from Saccharomyces cerevisiae and maintains its immunostimulatory properties. Furthermore, the carboxylates at the site of oxidation allow for the conjugation of small molecule immunostimulants. Both the parent oxidized beta-glucan and its conjugates with O-beta-alanyl-5-[6-(N,N'-dimethylamino)purin-9-yl]pentanol stimulate cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs), B cells and macrophages. In addition, they both stimulate natural killer (NK) cells, a property which the small molecule purine does not possess.