Carbon Clearance Activity Research Articles

Long-Term Treatment with a Compound Polysaccharide-Based Health Product (Infinitus Polysac Plus) Enhances Innate and Adaptive Immunity in Mice

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a compound polysaccharide-based health product (Infinitus Polysac Plus, IPP) on innate and adaptive immunity in mice. Both ex vivo/in vivo mouse models and an in vitro system using cultured mouse splenocytes were adopted for the assessment of innate and adaptive immunity. For the innate immune response, long-term IPP treatment (0.26 and 0.78 g/kg * 20 doses) enhanced the carbon clearance activity and phagocytic rate of macrophages, as well as natural killer cell activity in mice. The IPP-induced increase in natural killer cell activity was accompanied by the suppression of tumor growth in Sarcoma-180 cell-inoculated mice. For the adaptive immune response, while long-term IPP treatment increased the splenocyte index in mice, IPP incubation with mouse splenocytes in vitro potentiated their concanavalin A-stimulated proliferation. Long-term IPP treatment significantly restored the hemolytic activity of serum on sheep red blood cells and dinitrofluorobenezene-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity in sensitized and immunosuppressed mice. In conclusion, the results indicate that long-term IPP treatment produces stimulatory effects on both innate and adaptive immunity in mice.

Activation of murine macrophages by polysaccharide fractions from marine algae (Porphyra yezoensis).

Two discrete immunomodulating fractions were obtained from marine algae (Porphyra yezoensis): one was the Porphyra water-soluble fraction (PWSF) which was extracted with hot water from the whole body of algae, and the other was the Porphyra acid-soluble fraction (PASF) which was extracted with acid from the residue. The major constituent in both PWSF and PASF was a polysaccharide, the total sugar concentration in PWSF (56.4%) being lower than that in PASF (82.2%). The high contents of 3,6-anhydrogalactose and sulfate indicated the porphyran structure in PWSF and PASF. The results of an in vitro culture assay with proteose peptone-induced macrophages from mice revealed the PWSF and PASF both enhanced glucose consumption, as well as the production of nitrite and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), but that these were increased more by PWSF than by PASF. PWSF augmented IL-I secretion from these macrophages, while PASF did not. On the other hand, the carbon clearance activity of phagocytes from mice injected intraperitoneally with PASF was higher than that from PWSF-injected mice. The injection of PASF into mice also enhanced the carbon clearance activity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that the two individual fractions possessed the ability to activate macrophages in vitro and in vivo in different ways.

Modification of immunostimulating activities of grifolan by the treatment with (1----3)-beta-D-glucanase.

We have developed a method to control the effective time period of (1----3)-beta-D-glucan in vivo by using (1----3)-beta-D-glucanase and found that grifolan LE (GRN), a (1----3)-beta-D-glucan, administered intraperitoneally to the host required more than 2 d to exert antitumor activity. During these two days many immunological changes were induced, such as increasing the number of peritoneal exudated cells (PEC), augmentation of production of interleukin 1 (IL-1), acid phosphatase and phagocytic capacity of adherent cells in PEC. In addition, there was increased carbon clearance activity in vivo, augmentation of responsiveness of splenocytes to mitogens such as concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and production of ceruloplasmin. When (1----3)-beta-D-glucanase was injected 1 d after GRN administration, IL-1 productivity and responsiveness to LPS were significantly reduced, but lysosomal enzyme activity and phagocytosis of macrophage and production of ceruloplasmin were similar to those not treated with glucanase. These facts indicate that the induction of the activities of the former group requires longer contact of host cells with the glucan, and the latter group requires a shorter period to achieve fully active stages.

Activation of immunoresponder cells by the protein fraction from aged garlic extract

AbstractF‐4, a protein fraction isolated from aged garlic extract strongly stimulates mice peritoneal macrophages in terms of glucose utilization and exhibits cytostatic activity in vitro. F‐4 also has a mitogenic activity on spleen cells. In vivo, F‐4 induced the stimulation of carbon clearance activity in mice. No obvious activities were observed in the low molecular fraction of aged garlic in these tests, but weak effects were found in the fructan fraction (F‐3).

Effect of a Mixture of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus acidophilus Administered Orally on the Immune System in Mice

The effects of an orally-administered mixture of Lactobacillus casei and Lactobacillus acidophilus on the immune system in Swiss albino mice were studied. Non-fermented milk containing viable cultures of both microorganisms was fed for different consecutive days to the animals, the effect of such feeding on their immune system was evinced by macrophage and lymphocyte activation. An increase both in the in vitro phagocytic activity of peritoneal macrophages and in the carbon clearance activity was observed. As regard the lymphocytic activity, the mixture produced a higher activation than that in the control mice. The enhanced macrophage and lymphocytic activity by administering cultures via the oral route, suggest the advisability of using the mixture of bacteria for a more efficient stimulation of the host immune response.

Effect of a polysaccharide fraction from Grifola frondosa on immune response in mice.

The biological and immunomodulating activities of polysaccharide fraction (GF-1), an antitumor poysaccharide fraction from cultured fruiting bodies of Grifola frondosa, was examined in mice. GF-1 showed no cytocidal effect on culturing tumor cells. However, GF-1 induced resistance against Sarcoma 180 in ICR mice which had completely regressed from the tumor by the effect of GF-1. The administration of GF-1 into mice increased the weights or cell numbers of spleen, and peritoneal cavity. GF-1 enhanced the antigen specific antibody response and carbon clearance activity, whereas GF-1 did not show polyclonal B cell activation and mitogenic activities, and the effect on delayed type hypersensitivity.

Mechanisms of enhanced resistance of Mycobacterium bovis BCG-treated mice to ectromelia virus infection.

The mechanism of enhanced resistance of Mycobacterium bovis BCG-treated mice to ectromelia virus infection was investigated by determining the effect of splenectomy, antithymocyte serum, and antimacrophage serum on resistance. It was greatly reduced by these treatments, not only in normal mice, but also in mice treated with live or heat-inactivated BCG. Production of circulating interferon by ectromelia virus and Newcastle disease virus was augmented in BCG-treated mice and was markedly depressed by splenectomy and antithymocyte and antimacrophage serum treatments in both BCG-treated and normal mice. Carbon clearance activity was activated in BCG-treated mice, but splenectomy did not influence phagocytic activity. These results suggest that augmented interferon production in the spleens of BCG-treated mice plays a major role in enhanced resistance. Other possible mechanisms are discussed.

Effect of yeast polysaccharide treatment on the carbon clearance activity of mice implanted with sarcoma-180 solid tumor.

Effect of yeast polysaccharide treatment on the carbon clearance activity of mice implanted with sarcoma-180 solid tumor.

EFFECT OF PHENOXYBENZAMINE ON PHAGOCYTIC ACTIVITY AND SHOCK MORTALITY IN THE RAT.

SummaryPhenoxybenzamine (PBZ—0.5 mg/kg) decreased, and blockade of the reticulosndothelial system with colloidal carbon (320 mg/kg) temporarily increased the mortality of rats to subsequent tumbling shock. The usual protective effect of PBZ was lost if the drug was given after carbon blockade; in contrast, PBZ maintained its protective effect if given before blockade although “acute” traumatic deaths incident to drumming increased. PBZ pretreatment had no effect on pre-shock or post-shock carbon clearance activity either in the intact rat or in the in situ perfused liver. The results indicate that in the rat carbon clearance activity is not well correlated with the protective action of PBZ in traumatic shock.We express our thanks to Smith, Kline and French Laboratories, Philadelphia, Pa., for phenoxybenzaminc hydrochloride (Lot 127-DI-(1)) used in this study.