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Structural characterisation and biological activities of a unique type β-d-glucan obtained from Aureobasidium pullulans

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Abstract

A β-d-glucan obtained from Aureobasidium pullulans (AP-FBG) exhibits various biological activities: it exhibits antitumour and antiosteoporotic effects and prevents food allergies. An unambiguous structural characterisation of AP-FBG is still awaited. The biological effects of β-d-glucan are known to depend on its primary structures, conformation, and molecular weight. Here, we elucidate the primary structure of AP-FBG by NMR spectroscopy, and evaluate its biological activities. Its structure was shown to comprise a mixture of a 1-3-β-d-glucan backbone with single 1-6-β-d-glucopyranosyl side-branching units every two residues (major structure) and a 1-3-β-d-glucan backbone with single 1-6-β-d-glucopyranosyl side-branching units every three residues (minor structure). Furthermore, this β-d-glucan exhibited immunostimulatory effects such as the accumulation of immune cells and priming effects against enterobacterium. To our knowledge, 1-3-β-glucans like AP-FBG with such a high number of 1-6-β-glucopyranosyl side branching have a unique structure; nevertheless, many 1-3-β-glucans were isolated from various sources, e.g. fungi, bacteria, and plants.

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Abbreviations

AP-FBG:

Aureobasidium pullulans-fermented β-glucan

BRM:

biological response modifier

CR3:

complement receptor type 3

COSY:

correlation spectroscopy

CSBG:

β-glucan from Candida albicans

DB:

degree of branching

DP:

degree of polymerisation

Enterococcus faecalis :

E. faecalis

ELISA:

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

FCS:

foetal calf serum

HMBC:

heteronuclear multiple bond correlation spectroscopy

HSQC:

heteronuclear single quantum correlation spectroscopy

H2BC:

heteronuclear 2-bond correlation spectroscopy

IFN:

interferon

IL:

interleukin

LacCer:

lactosylceramide

NMR:

nuclear magnetic resonance

NOESY:

nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy

PAMPs:

pathogen associated molecular patterns

PBMCs:

peripheral blood mononuclear cells

PBS:

phosphate-buffered saline

PBST:

0.05% Tween 20 containing PBS

BPBST:

1% BSA containing PBST

PECs:

peritoneal exudate cells

PMN:

polymorphonuclear cell

PRRs:

pattern recognition receptors

ROE:

rotating-frame Overhauser effect

SPG:

sonifilan

TLRs:

toll-like receptors

TNF:

tumour necrosis factor

TOCSY:

total correlation spectroscopy

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Acknowledgements

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to Misato Ebara for her consistent help and support. This work was supported by a grant for private universities provided by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology and Japan Private School Promotion Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Immunopharmacology of Microbial Products, School of Pharmacy, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, 1432-1 Horinouchi, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan

    Rui Tada, Ken-ichi Ishibashi, Yoshiyuki Adachi & Naohito Ohno

  2. Advance Materials R&D Laboratory, Life Sciences Department, ADEKA Corporation, Tokyo, Japan

    Asuka Tanioka, Kumi Hatashima, Yoshikazu Shoji & Kazufumi Tsubaki

  3. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Teikyo University, Kanagawa, Japan

    Haruyo Iwasawa & Masatoshi Yamazaki

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  1. Rui Tada
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  2. Asuka Tanioka
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  3. Haruyo Iwasawa
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  9. Kazufumi Tsubaki
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  10. Naohito Ohno
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Correspondence to Naohito Ohno.

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Tada, R., Tanioka, A., Iwasawa, H. et al. Structural characterisation and biological activities of a unique type β-d-glucan obtained from Aureobasidium pullulans . Glycoconj J 25, 851–861 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10719-008-9147-3

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