China
Africa
Explore chapters and articles related to this topic
Fungi and Water
Published in Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy, Food and Lifestyle in Health and Disease, 2022
Chuong Pham-Huy, Bruno Pham Huy
Fungi have cell walls similar to plants and are different from animals. The fungal cell wall is composed of chitin that gives shape, form, and rigidity to fungi. It protects against mechanical injury, prevents osmotic lysis, and provides passive protection against the ingress of potentially harmful macromolecules (2–3). Chitin is a polymer of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. The major polysaccharides of the cell wall matrix consist of non-cellulosic glucans such as glycogen-like compounds, mannans (polymers of mannose), chitosan (polymers of glucosamine), and galactans (polymers of galactose). Small amounts of fucose, rhamnose, xylose, and uronic acids may be present (2). Glucan refers to a large group of D-glucose polymers having glycosidic bonds. Insoluble β-glucans are apparently amorphous in the cell wall. Yeast cell wall is composed of three layers and is about 200- to 600-nm thick. Its inner surface is chitinous, and its outer layer contains α-glucan (2). In addition to chitin, glucan, and mannan, cell walls may contain lipid, protein, chitosan, acid phosphatase, α-amylase, protease, melanin, and inorganic ions such as phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium (2). The fungal wall also protects cells against mechanical injury and blocks the ingress of toxic macromolecules. The fungal cell wall is also essential to prevent osmotic lysis. Even a small lesion in the cell wall can result in extrusion of cytoplasm due to the internal (turgor) pressure of the protoplast. The cell membrane of a fungus has a unique sterol and ergosterol (3).
Effects of Food Processing, Storage, and Cooking on Nutrients in Plant-Based Foods
Published in Nicole M. Farmer, Andres Victor Ardisson Korat, Cooking for Health and Disease Prevention, 2022
Consumption of beta-glucans has been associated with improvements in blood lipid levels in processes where the molecular weight of beta-glucan polymers is preserved. Addition of high and medium molecular weight beta-glucans to ready-to-eat cereals has shown decreases of LDL cholesterol levels compared to the same products made with an equivalent amount wheat bran (Wolever et al., 2010). Similar studies conducted in vivo and in vitro have produced similar results (Grundy et al., 2018). The mechanisms linking beta-glucan consumption to blood lipid levels are complex. It has been proposed that viscosity plays a role by decreasing the absorption of dietary cholesterol and bile acids, which slows down their return to the liver, which in turn may lead to conversion of hepatic cholesterol to bile acids, thereby decreasing blood cholesterol levels (Grundy et al., 2018).
Cosmetic-Medical Treatments
Published in Paloma Tejero, Hernán Pinto, Aesthetic Treatments for the Oncology Patient, 2020
M. Lourdes Mourelle, B. N. Díaz
An asset of interest that has also been used in creams for the prevention and treatment of dermitis is β-glucan. β-Glucans are polysaccharides constructed of glucose monomers linked by β-glucosidic bonds, which mainly exist in cereals (barley and oat), yeast, mushrooms, and algae, with immunomodulatory properties, among others [57–59]. Emulsions containing β-glucan have been used to prevent radiodermatitis, with an increase in skin hydration and reduction of itching [56].
Tinospora Cordifolia: A review of its immunomodulatory properties
Published in Journal of Dietary Supplements, 2022
Charles R. Yates, Eugene J. Bruno, Mary E. D. Yates
Beta glucans (β-glucans) are another class of polysaccharides with immunostimulatory properties (Brown and Gordon 2003). β-glucans interact with their cognate receptors on macrophages (e.g. CD11b, TLR2, TLR6, etc.) to stimulate a Th1 cytokine response (Gantner et al. 2003). It was previously thought that the β-glycosidic linkage found in β-glucans was sine quo non for immune enhancing activity. However, recent studies demonstrated that α linkages found in α-glucans could also impart immunostimulatory activity (Bao et al. 2002; Wang et al. 2003). For example, Nair et al. previously isolated a novel α-glucan, (1,4)-α-D-glucan (RR1), from T. cordifolia and found that it potently stimulated a Th1 cytokine response in natural killer, T, and B cells (Nair et al. 2004). Mechanistic studies with RR1 revealed that RR1 stimulated phagocytic activity of RAW264.7 macrophages that was independent of CD11b surface expression (Nair et al. 2006). Additionally, it was found that RR1, unlike G1-4A, exerted immunostimulatory activity by acting as a TLR6 agonist in HEK293 cells.
Carbohydrate-containing nanoparticles as vaccine adjuvants
Published in Expert Review of Vaccines, 2021
Xinyuan Zhang, Zhigang Zhang, Ningshao Xia, Qinjian Zhao
β-glucan is another natural polysaccharide with immunostimulatory properties [45]. NPs containing β-glucan could be prepared through different methods. The prepared NPs have shown great potential in antigen delivery and enhancement of the immune response [46,47]. β-glucan can be found in plants, fungi, and bacteria. β-glucans in different species vary in chain length as well as distribution [5]. β-1,3-D-glucan (referred to as ‘β-glucan’ from this point on), which mainly exists in fungi, is in a triple helix structure and is reported to be able to modulate the immune response [46,48]. β-glucan can interact with pattern recognition receptors on the immune cell surface. Dectin-1 of the C-type lectin receptor family is the main receptor that recognizes β-glucan (especially particulate β-glucan) [16,49]. The ligand-binding signal results in Th1 and Th17 cytokine and chemokine production, which consequently enhances the immune response [19,50]. β-glucan-containing NPs can target APCs due to the interaction between β-glucan and pattern recognition receptors. Thus, β-glucan-containing NPs have great advantages in antigen delivery. Moreover, cytokine production induced by β-glucan-containing NPs could enhance the level of the immune response.
Botryosphaeran Attenuates Tumor Development and the Cancer Cachexia Syndrome in Walker-256 Tumor-Bearing Obese Rats and Improves the Metabolic and Hematological Profiles of These Rats
Published in Nutrition and Cancer, 2021
Patrícia K. Comiran, Mariana C. Ribeiro, John H. G. Silva, Kamila O. Martins, Izabella A. Santos, Ana Emilia F. Chiaradia, Amadeu Z. Silva, Robert F. H. Dekker, Aneli M. Barbosa-Dekker, Pâmela Alegranci, Eveline A. I. F. Queiroz
Studies have reported that β-glucans can present a direct and indirect antitumoral effect. If direct action against tumor development is considered, botryosphaeran presented an antiproliferative effect, which is related to the induction of apoptosis and necrosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells (in-vitro); a mechanism related to the activation of AMPK and FOXO3a proteins, and increased expression of proapoptotic proteins bax and caspase-3 (16). Similarly, Geraldelli et al. (55) demonstrated that botryosphaeran administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg b.w./day over the 15-day treatment period significantly reduced tumor development and the cancer cachexia syndrome in Walker-256 tumor-bearing male Wistar rats by improving the metabolic and hematologic profiles, maintaining glycemia within the normal limits, ameliorating the hypertriglyceridemia condition and correcting the macrocytic anemia, as well as by increasing apoptosis of tumor cells through increasing Bax protein expression level. Furthermore, in Walker-256 tumor-bearing obese rats, botryosphaeran (30 mg/kg b.w./day for 15 day) also significantly decreased tumor growth and the intensity of the neoplastic cachexia syndrome. The mechanism associated with this, at least in part, was the reduction of visceral adipose tissue, the improvement of insulin sensitivity, and an increase of FOXO3a activity (unpublished data from our lab).