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The beta-glucan, which is polymer of glucose with beta 1,3/1,6-linkages, shows immunomodulatory activity and function for animal gut and body. Therefore, beta-glucan is being expected more attractively and more interestingly as Biological Response Modifier (BRM). The sales in 2003, Japan for the functional foods are estimated to be approximately 11 billion dollars, especially the sales of mushrooms healthy food like agarics, which was famous for containing a beta-glucan compound is over 640 million dollars. On the other hand, though mushrooms like agarics is reported to be contained several-ten % of beta-glucan, the purity was very low and other unknown compounds were also involved because their contents were inconstant due to natural products.
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Recently, by taking excess amounts of agarics products even as a healthy food, there have been reported much damage and troubles for human liver and so on in a major newspaper in Japan.
We focused strongly that the black yeast, a strain of A. pullulans produced and secreted the unique beta-glucan called "beta-1,3-1,6-glucan" having beta-1,3-linkages as a main strand with beta-1,6-linkage as a side strand, which showed more immunomodulatory activity.
Basically, the culture broth showed high viscosity, and it was difficult to handle and remove cells completely. Already, some companies have supplied and sold the culture broth including cells. On the other hand, DAISO developed the more effective technology in lowering its viscosity as same as that of water, resulting that it became possible to supply the highly purified, cell-free and endotoxin-free aqueous beta-glucan solution "Aqua beta". Interestingly, the additional characteristic that "Aqua beta" partially formed microparticles (<1 micro meter) were made clear. Their benefits would be sure of express immunomodulatory activity in animal and human gut. |
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We focused that our strain of Aurebasidium pullulans called "Black yeast" secreted the immunomodulatory beta-1,3-1,6-glucan out of cells efficiently. The structure has glucose polymers both with beta-1,3-linkages and beta-1,6-linkages as shown the fugure.
Microparticle beta glucan
"Aqua beta" contains both microparticle and soluble beta-glucan. The microparticle is estimated to be approximately 0.3 micro meter in diameter as a primary particle, considering that "Aqua beta" should strongly stimulate the Peyer's Patches in animal intestine. |
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Possible mechanism activating the gut immune system
This figure shows that the microparticle beta-glucan in "Aqua beta" firstly immunomodulates macropharges, which is a commander in immune system, and then activates T cells and B cells, which control immune systems
Immunomodulation of macropharge by "Aqua beta"
This figure shows the result of activation of macrophages with the interaction of the beta-glucan in "Aqua beta". You can see the immunomodulatory effect of the beta-glucan by administration test using mice. Already, we confirmed that our beta-glucan "Aqua beta" has not only anti-cancer effect, but also anti-metastasis through administration test by mice.
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