The immunomodulatory effects of exopolymers of Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 containing beta-1,3/1,6-glucan were evaluated on the cyclophosphamide (CPA)-treated mice. To induce immunosuppression, 150 and 110 mg/kg of CPA were intraperitoneally injected at 1 and 3 days before start of test material administrations, respectively. Exopolymers were subcutaneously or orally administered in a volume of 10 ml/kg, 4 times; 12-hr intervals from 24 hrs after second treatment of CPA. After treatment of exopolymers, the changes of thymus and spleen weights, splenic amounts of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1beta and IL-10, thymic and splenic CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-alpha+ cells were monitored in CPA-treated mice. As results of CPA treatment, dramatical decreases of the CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-alpha+ cells were detected in thymus and spleen with decreases of thymus and spleen weights. In addition, decreases of splenic TNF-alpha, IL-1beta and IL-10 contents were also detected at flow cytometrical observations. However, oral and subcutaneous treatment of exopolymers effectively reduced the immunosuppressive changes induced by CPA. Therefore, it is concluded that exopolymers of A. pullulans can effectively prevent immunosuppression mediated, at least partially, by recruitment of T cells and TNF-alpha+ cells or enhancement of their activity, and can provide effective prevention or treat regimes for immunosuppression and related diseases such as cancer, sepsis and high-dose chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
This 2010 study from the Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology investigated the immunomodulatory effects of exopolymers produced by Aureobasidium pullulans strain SM-2001, which contain beta-1,3/1,6-glucan. The research used a cyclophosphamide (CPA)-induced immunosuppression mouse model to assess whether these exopolymers could restore immune function.
Mice were treated with cyclophosphamide (CPA) to induce immunosuppression, then received A. pullulans SM-2001 exopolymers via either oral or subcutaneous administration. Immune parameters measured included thymus and spleen weights, T cell subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+), TNF-alpha+ cells, and cytokine levels (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-10) in splenic tissue.
CPA treatment caused significant decreases in CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ and TNF-alpha+ cells in both thymus and spleen, along with reduced organ weights and cytokine levels. Both oral and subcutaneous administration of A. pullulans exopolymers effectively reversed these immunosuppressive changes, restoring T cell populations and cytokine production toward normal levels.
This study demonstrates that Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001-derived beta-1,3/1,6-glucan exopolymers can prevent and counteract chemotherapy-induced immunosuppression. The findings suggest potential therapeutic applications in conditions requiring immune restoration, including cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, as well as sepsis management.
Yoon HS; Kim JW; Cho HR; Moon SB; Shin HD; Yang KJ; Lee HS; Kwon YS; Ku SK. Immunomodulatory effects of Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 exopolymers on the cyclophosphamide-treated mice. Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology. 2010. PMID: 20208453.
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