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Journal of Ovarian Research Mar 2020Cervical cancer is the fourth-ranked cancer in the world and is associated with a large number of deaths annually. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are known as the common... (Review)
Review
Cervical cancer is the fourth-ranked cancer in the world and is associated with a large number of deaths annually. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy are known as the common therapeutic approaches in the treatment of cervical cancer, but because of their side effects and toxicity, researchers are trying to discovery alternative therapies. Beta-glucans, a group of glucose polymers that are derived from the cell wall of fungi, bacteria, and etc. it has been showed that beta-glucans have some anti-cancer properties which due to their impacts on adaptive and innate immunity. Along to these impacts, these molecules could be used as drug carriers. In this regard, the application of beta-glucans is a promising therapeutic option for the cancer prevention and treatment especially for cervical cancer. Herein, we have summarized the therapeutic potential of beta-glucans alone or as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of cervical cancer. Moreover, we highlighted beta-glucans as drug carriers for preventive and therapeutic purposes.
Topics: Carrier Proteins; Clinical Studies as Topic; Disease Management; Disease Susceptibility; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Female; Humans; Immunomodulation; Molecular Targeted Therapy; Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells; Protein Binding; Signal Transduction; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 32138756
DOI: 10.1186/s13048-020-00626-7 -
Nutrients Jul 2019Cereal β-glucans are dietary fibres primarily found in oats and barley, and have several positive effects on health, including lowering the postprandial glucose... (Review)
Review
Cereal β-glucans are dietary fibres primarily found in oats and barley, and have several positive effects on health, including lowering the postprandial glucose response and the improvement of blood cholesterol levels. Cereal β-glucans have a specific combination of β-(1→4) and β-(1→3) linkages into linear long-chain polysaccharides of high molecular weight. Due to their particular structure, cereal β-glucans generate viscosity within the intestinal tract, which is thought to be the main mechanism of action responsible for their positive health effects. However, cereal grains are rarely consumed raw; at least one cooking step is generally required before they can be safely eaten. Cooking and processing methods more generally will modify the physicochemical characteristics of β-glucans, such as molecular weight, extractability and the resulting viscosity. Therefore, the health impact of β-glucans will depend not only on the dose administered, but also on the ways they are processed or converted into food products. This review aims at summarizing the different parameters that can affect β-glucans efficacy to improve glucose and lipid metabolism in humans.
Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Blood Glucose; Cooking; Dietary Fiber; Edible Grain; Food Handling; Humans; Lipids; Nutritive Value; Viscosity; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 31357461
DOI: 10.3390/nu11081729 -
Frontiers in Immunology 2020β-Glucans are a heterogeneous group of glucose polymers with a common structure comprising a main chain of β-(1,3) and/or β-(1,4)-glucopyranosyl units, along with... (Review)
Review
β-Glucans are a heterogeneous group of glucose polymers with a common structure comprising a main chain of β-(1,3) and/or β-(1,4)-glucopyranosyl units, along with side chains with various branches and lengths. β-Glucans initiate immune responses via immune cells, which become activated by the binding of the polymer to specific receptors. However, β-glucans from different sources also differ in their structure, conformation, physical properties, binding affinity to receptors, and thus biological functions. The mechanisms behind this are not fully understood. This mini-review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date commentary on the relationship between β-glucans' structure and function in relation to their use for immunomodulation.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Immunity; Immunomodulation; Protein Binding; Protein Conformation; Structure-Activity Relationship; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 32391005
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00658 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2022The article systematizes information about the sources of β-glucan, its technological functions and practical aspects of its use in dairy and milk-based products.... (Review)
Review
The article systematizes information about the sources of β-glucan, its technological functions and practical aspects of its use in dairy and milk-based products. According to the analysis of scientific information, the main characteristics of β-glucan classifications were considered: the source of origin, chemical structure, and methods of obtention. It has been established that the most popular in the food technology of dairy products are β-glucans from oat and barley cereal, which exhibit pronounced technological functions in the composition of dairy products (gel formation, high moisture-binding capacity, increased yield of finished products, formation of texture, and original sensory indicators). The expediency of using β-glucan from yeast and mushrooms as a source of biologically active substances that ensure the functional orientation of the finished product has been revealed. For the first time, information on the use of β-glucan of various origins in the most common groups of dairy and milk-based products has been systematized. The analytical review has scientific and practical significance for scientists and specialists in the field of food production, in particular dairy products of increased nutritional value.
Topics: Animals; Edible Grain; Food Technology; Milk; Nutritive Value; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 36234850
DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196313 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Sep 2011β-glucans are cell wall constituents of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and plants. They are not expressed in mammalian cells, but they are recognized by mammalian cells as... (Review)
Review
β-glucans are cell wall constituents of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and plants. They are not expressed in mammalian cells, but they are recognized by mammalian cells as pathogen-associated molecular patterns by pattern recognition receptors and thus act as biological response modifiers. This review summarizes data on the hematopoiesis-stimulating effects of β-glucans, as well as on their ability to enhance bone marrow recovery after an injury. β-glucans have been shown to support murine hematopoiesis suppressed by ionizing radiation or cytotoxic anti-cancer therapy. They also enhance stem cell homing and engraftment. Basically, two forms of β-glucan preparations have been investigated, namely particulate and soluble ones. β-glucans are generally well tolerated, the particulate forms showing a higher incidence of undesirable side effects. Taken together, the hematopoiesis-stimulating properties of β-glucans predetermine these biological response modifiers to ever increasing use in human medicinal practice.
Topics: Anemia; Animals; Antineoplastic Agents; Dosage Forms; Hematinics; Hematopoiesis; Humans; Radiotherapy; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 21921869
DOI: 10.3390/molecules16097969 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2020Understanding the potential contamination of pharmaceutical products with innate immunity modulating impurities (IIMIs) is essential for establishing their safety... (Review)
Review
Understanding the potential contamination of pharmaceutical products with innate immunity modulating impurities (IIMIs) is essential for establishing their safety profiles. IIMIs are a large family of molecules with diverse compositions and structures that contribute to the immune-mediated adverse effects (IMAE) of drug products. Pyrogenicity (the ability to induce fever) and activation of innate immune responses underlying both acute toxicities (e.g., anaphylactoid reactions or pseudoallergy, cytokine storm) and long-term effects (e.g., immunogenicity) are among the IMAE commonly related to IIMI contamination. Endotoxins of gram-negative bacteria are the best-studied IIMIs in that both methodologies for and pitfalls in their detection and quantification are well established. Additionally, regulatory guidance documents and research papers from laboratories worldwide are available on endotoxins. However, less information is currently known about other IIMIs. Herein, we focus on one such IIMI, namely, beta-glucans, and review literature and discuss the experience of the Nanotechnology Characterization Lab (NCL) with the detection of beta-glucans in nanotechnology-based drug products.
Topics: Drug Compounding; Drug Contamination; Nanotechnology; Pharmaceutical Preparations; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 32722261
DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153367 -
International Journal of Molecular... Mar 2022β-glucans are a diverse group of polysaccharides composed of β-1,3 or β-(1,3-1,4) linked glucose monomers. They are mainly synthesized by fungi, plants, seaweed and... (Review)
Review
β-glucans are a diverse group of polysaccharides composed of β-1,3 or β-(1,3-1,4) linked glucose monomers. They are mainly synthesized by fungi, plants, seaweed and bacteria, where they carry out structural, protective and energy storage roles. Because of their unique physicochemical properties, they have important applications in several industrial, biomedical and biotechnological processes. β-glucans are also major bioactive molecules with marked immunomodulatory and metabolic properties. As such, they have been the focus of many studies attesting to their ability to, among other roles, fight cancer, reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and control diabetes. The physicochemical and functional profiles of β-glucans are deeply influenced by their molecular structure. This structure governs β-glucan interaction with multiple β-glucan binding proteins, triggering myriad biological responses. It is then imperative to understand the structural properties of β-glucans to fully reveal their biological roles and potential applications. The deconstruction of β-glucans is a result of β-glucanase activity. In addition to being invaluable tools for the study of β-glucans, these enzymes have applications in numerous biotechnological and industrial processes, both alone and in conjunction with their natural substrates. Here, we review potential applications for β-glucans and β-glucanases, and explore how their functionalities are dictated by their structure.
Topics: Fungi; Molecular Structure; Neoplasms; Plants; Polysaccharides; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 35328577
DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063156 -
Microbiological Research Sep 2023β-glucans are a large class of complex polysaccharides found in abundant sources. Our dietary sources of β-glucans are cereals that include oats and barley, and... (Review)
Review
β-glucans are a large class of complex polysaccharides found in abundant sources. Our dietary sources of β-glucans are cereals that include oats and barley, and non-cereal sources can consist of mushrooms, microalgae, bacteria, and seaweeds. There is substantial clinical interest in β-glucans; as they can be used for a variety of diseases including cancer and cardiovascular conditions. Suitable sources of β-glucans for biopharmaceutical applications include bacteria, microalgae, mycelium, and yeast. Environmental factors including culture medium can influence the biomass and ultimately β-glucan content. Therefore, cultivation conditions for the above organisms can be controlled for sustainable enhanced production of β-glucans. This review discusses the various sources of β-glucans and their cultivation conditions that may be optimised to exploit sustainable production. Finally, this article discusses the immune-modulatory potential of β-glucans from these sources.
Topics: Humans; beta-Glucans; Agaricales; Immunity; Neoplasms; Saccharomyces cerevisiae; Pharmaceutical Preparations
PubMed: 37301079
DOI: 10.1016/j.micres.2023.127424 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2021The occurrence of microbial challenges in commercial poultry farming causes significant economic losses. Antibiotics have been used to control diseases involving... (Review)
Review
The occurrence of microbial challenges in commercial poultry farming causes significant economic losses. Antibiotics have been used to control diseases involving bacterial infection in poultry. As the incidence of antibiotic resistance turns out to be a serious problem, there is increased pressure on producers to reduce antibiotic use. With the reduced availability of antibiotics, poultry producers are looking for feed additives to stimulate the immune system of the chicken to resist microbial infection. Some β-glucans have been shown to improve gut health, to increase the flow of new immunocytes, increase macrophage function, stimulate phagocytosis, affect intestinal morphology, enhance goblet cell number and mucin-2 production, induce the increased expression of intestinal tight-junctions, and function as effective anti-inflammatory immunomodulators in poultry. As a result, β-glucans may provide a new tool for producers trying to reduce or eliminate the use of antibiotics in fowl diets. The specific activity of each β-glucan subtype still needs to be investigated. Upon knowledge, optimal β-glucan mixtures may be implemented in order to obtain optimal growth performance, exert anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity, and optimized intestinal morphology and histology responses in poultry. This review provides an extensive overview of the current use of β glucans as additives and putative use as antibiotic alternative in poultry.
Topics: Animal Feed; Animals; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Meat; Poultry; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 34200882
DOI: 10.3390/molecules26123560 -
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Jul 2013The particular characteristics of growth and development of mushrooms in nature result in the accumulation of a variety of secondary metabolites such as phenolic... (Review)
Review
The particular characteristics of growth and development of mushrooms in nature result in the accumulation of a variety of secondary metabolites such as phenolic compounds, terpenes and steroids and essential cell wall components such as polysaccharides, b-glucans and proteins, several of them with biological activities. The present article outlines and discusses the available information about the protective effects of mushroom extracts against liver damage induced by exogenous compounds. Among mushrooms, Ganoderma lucidum is indubitably the most widely studied species. In this review, however, emphasis was given to studies using other mushrooms, especially those presenting efforts of attributing hepatoprotective activities to specific chemical components usually present in the mushroom extracts.
Topics: Agaricales; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Humans; Phenols; Polysaccharides; Protective Agents; Proteins; Reishi; Steroids; Terpenes; beta-Glucans
PubMed: 23884116
DOI: 10.3390/molecules18077609