Water-soluble low-molecular-weight b-(1, 3–1, 6) D-Glucan inhibit cedar pollinosis

Abstract

Background: The incidences of allergenic diseases such as allergenic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, asthma, and food allergies have increased in several countries. Mast cells have critical roles in various biological processes related to allergenic diseases. Mast cells express the high-affinity receptor for immunoglobulin (Ig) E on their surface. The interaction of multivalent antigens with surface-bound IgE causes the secretion of granule-stored mediators, as well as the de novo synthesis of cytokines. Those mediators and cytokines proceed the allergenic diseases. We investigated the effects of water-soluble, low-molecular-weight b-(1, 3–1, 6) D-glucan isolated from Aureobasidium pullulans 1A1 strain black yeast (LMW-b-glucan) on mast cell-mediated anaphylactic reactions. We reported that LMW-b-glucan dose-dependently inhibited the degranulation of mast cells. Furthermore, we found that orally administered LMW-b-glucan inhibited the IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) reaction in mice. Here, we examined if LMW-b-glucan had any effects on Japanese cedar pollinosis.Findings: In a clinical study, a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group study in 65 subjects (aged 22-62) was performed. This study was undertaken 3 weeks before the cedar pollen season and until the end of the cedar pollen season. During the study, all subjects consumed one bottle of placebo or LMW-b-glucan daily, and all subjects were required to record allergenic symptoms in a diary. The LMW-b-glucan group had a significantly lower prevalence of sneezing, nose-blowing, tears, and hindrance to the activities of daily living than the placebo group.Conclusions: These results suggest that LMW-b-glucan could be an effective treatment for allergenic diseases.Key Words: Mast cell, anti-allergy, b-glucan, cedar pollinosis

Biological Activity of High-Purity β-1,3-1,6-Glucan Derived from the Black Yeast Aureobasidium pullulans: A Literature Review

“…These cells express a high-affinity receptor for IgE on their surface, and the interaction of multivalent antigens with surface-bound IgE leads to the secretion of granule-stored mediators as well as the de novo synthesis of cytokines. These mediators and cytokines promote the development of allergic diseases [ 59 ].…”

“…The APβG-administered group had a significantly reduced prevalence of sneezing, nose blowing, tears, and hindrance in the activities of daily life compared to the placebo group. These results suggest that APβG can serve as an effective treatment for allergic diseases [ 59 ].…”

Effects of fungal beta-glucans on health – a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

“…Most of the trials used yeast-derived beta-glucans; the sources of extraction for either soluble or insoluble beta-(1 → 3,1 → 6)- All of the trials included in the present review were randomized and placebo-controlled, as this was one of the eligibility criteria. Regarding the blinding, the vast majority of the 34 trials were double-blind (31 trials), one was single-blind, 16 one open-label, 17 and one of unknown blinding status. 18…”

“…Apart from the immune response to pathogens, supplementation with beta-(1 → 3,1 → 6)-D-glucans modulates allergic reactions (Table 2). Ragweed allergy sufferers 41 and subjects with a history of cedar pollinosis 16 reported alleviation of allergy symptoms such as sneezing, nose-blowing and tears. Furthermore, their overall physical health, quality of life (QOL) 41 and daily functionality 16 were improved.…”

The effects of oral administration of Aureobasidium pullulans-cultured fluid containing β-glucan on concanavalin A injected mice

“…The A. pullulans produced β-glucan is known to act as a dietary fiber as well as an immune modulating agent, and is thought to exhibit beneficial effects on health through these functions. Several beneficial effects of AP-CF and its derived β-glucan, such as anti-atherosclerosis [ 11 ], anti-tumor [ 12 , 13 , 14 ], anti-allergy [ 15 , 16 , 17 ] and anti-infectious disease effects [ 18 , 19 ], have been reported.…”