BACKGROUND Glucan is an immunomodulating agent used for cancer therapy. We investigated the effects of glucan on immune cell response to prostate carcinoma. METHODS Dendritic cells (DC) were co-cultured with prostate carcinoma cells LNCaP and/or glucan, and maturation markers expression, cytokine release, and superoxide anion production were evaluated. Conditioned media from glucan-treated or...

Seven experimental oat lines with high (6.2-7.2%), medium (5.5-5.9%), and low (4.4-5.3%) β-glucan concentrations were evaluated for contributions of β-glucan, starch, protein, and their interactions, to pasting properties of oat flours by using a Rapid Visco Analyser (RVA, Newport Scientific, Warriewood, NSW, Australia). Significant correlations (P < 0.05) between β-glucan concentration and pas...

In this study, we investigated the possible roles of (1,3)-(1,6)-β-D-glucan (β-glucan) and porous electrospun poly-lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA) membranes containing β-glucan for skin wound healing, especially their effect on adult human dermal fibroblast (aHDF) and adipose tissue-derived stem cell (ADSC) activation, proliferation, migration, collagen gel contraction and biological safety tests o...

A β-glucan synthase gene was isolated from the genomic DNA of polypore mushroom Sparassis crispa, which reportedly produces unusually high amount of soluble β-1,3-glucan (β-glucan). Sequencing and subsequent open reading frame analysis of the isolated gene revealed that the gene (5,502 bp) consisted of 10 exons separated by nine introns. The predicted mRNA encoded a β-glucan synthase protein, c...

To determine whether the infection-preventing capability of the neutrophil-activating agent poly-(1-6)-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-3)-beta-D-glucopyranose glucan (PGG-glucan) can be enhanced with antibiotic prophylaxis, we administered PGG-glucan and cefazolin, alone and in combination, to guinea pigs inoculated with isolates of staphylococci. Guinea pigs receiving both PGG-glucan and cefazolin ha...

We investigated the immunostimulatory effects of a novel β-glucan purified from Paenibacillus (P.) polymyxa JB115 on bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs), a type of potent antigen-presenting cells. β-glucan isolated from P. polymyxa JB115 enhanced the viability and induced the maturation of DCs. β-glucan markedly increased the cytokine production of DCs and surface expression of DC markers...

Bovine serum albumin (BSA), Tween-20, and polyethylene glycol (PEG6000) were added to washed corn stover solids produced by ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX), ammonia recycled percolation (ARP), dilute sulfuric acid (DA), lime, controlled pH, and sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) pretreatments and to untreated corn stover (UT) and pure Avicel glucan prior to adding cellulase supplemented with beta-glucosidas...

To determine whether the infection-preventing capability of the neutrophil-activating agent poly-(1-6)-b-Dglucopyranosyl-(1-3)-b-D-glucopyranose glucan (PGG-glucan) can be enhanced with antibiotic prophylaxis, we administered PGG-glucan and cefazolin, alone and in combination, to guinea pigs inoculated with isolates of staphylococci. Guinea pigs receiving both PGG-glucan and cefazolin had 50% i...

We prepared self-standing chemically cross-linked hydrogels from 1,3-?-d-glucan (Mw = 2.0 × 105) and 1,3-?-d-glucans (low-molecular-weight (LMW): Mw 105, high-molecular-weight (HMW): 1.0 106), using ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDGE) as a cross-linker. Uniaxial compressive tests cylindrical of the glucans were conducted. Both LMW-1,3-?-d-glucan highly deformable shape-deformable; they cou...