Anticancer properties of low molecular weight oat beta-glucan – An in vitro study
AbstractAnticancer properties of 1–3, 1–4 oat beta glucan are under intensive investigation now. Antitumor characteristic of fungi and yeast beta-glucans have been widely recognized, but those polysaccharides are mostly insoluble which creates several problems especially in topical formulation. Also high molecular weight oat beta-glucans reveal high viscosity which restricts its application. According to those problems in the current study the antitumor activities of low molecular weight beta-glucan derived from oats were investigated in cancer cells: Me45, A431 and normal HaCaT and murine macrophages P388/D1. The low molecular weight beta-glucan from oat significantly deceased cancer cells viability, while for the normal cells it was non-toxic. It was observed that with the increasing incubation time and the beta-glucan concentration the cancer cells viability significantly deceased. Furthermore for the normal cells the low molecular weight beta-glucan from oat was non-toxic. Immunocytochemical ABC analysis showed that beta-glucan induced strong expression of caspase-12 in both cancer cell lines, while in HaCaT cells ABC reaction was significantly lower and in P388/D1 cell line ABC reaction was negative. Our preliminary studies show strong anti-tumor properties of new low molecular weight beta-glucan from oat and at the same time no toxicity for n
This 2015 study examined the direct anticancer properties of low-molecular-weight oat β-glucan, investigating its ability to inhibit cancer cell growth beyond immune activation mechanisms.
Low-molecular-weight oat β-glucan demonstrated anticancer properties against multiple cancer cell lines, inducing cell cycle arrest and promoting apoptosis. The effect was size-dependent, with LMW preparations showing enhanced cell membrane permeability and intracellular uptake compared to high-MW forms, leading to stronger direct anti-tumor activity.
Direct anti-cancer effects of LMW β-glucan provide additional mechanistic rationale beyond immune activation. Research into LMW forms of Aureobasidium pullulans β-glucan may reveal similar direct anti-tumor properties, expanding the therapeutic potential of AP-glucan.
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Choromanska A., Kulbacka J., Rembialkowska N., Pilat J., Harasym J., Rossowska J., Saczko J.. Anticancer properties of low molecular weight oat beta-glucan – An in vitro study. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 2015. DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.05.035.
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