Detection of plasma (1 → 3)-β-<scp>d</scp>-glucan in patients withFusarium, Trichosporon, SaccharomycesandAcremoniumfungaemias

Yoshida, Minoru; Obayashi, Taminori; Iwama, Atsushi; Ito, Mika; Tsunoda, Saburo; Suzuki, Tomokazu; Muroi, Kazuo; Ohta, Makoto; Sakamoto, Shinobu; Miura, Yasusada

doi:10.1080/02681219780001441

Cited by 99 publications

(49 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Normal controls consistently showed serum glucan levels that were Յ20 pg/ml. This compares well with previous reports of glucan levels in normal individuals (13). Approximately 88% of ICU patients with infections of fungal or bacterial etiology showed serum glucan levels greater than 20 pg/ml, which we arbitrarily designated a positive test.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Serum Glucan Levels Are Not Specific for Presence of Fungal Infections in Intensive Care Unit Patients

Digby

Kalbfleisch

Glenn

et al. 2003

Clin Vaccine Immunol

139

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Fungal infections in the critically ill patient are difficult to diagnose and are associated with a high mortality rate. A major obstacle to managing fungal infection is the lack of a reliable clinical assay that will rapidly identify patients with fungal sepsis. Glucans are polymers of glucose that are found in the cell wall of fungi and certain bacteria. Glucans are also released from the fungal cell wall into the extracellular milieu. Several studies have reported that detection of fungal glucan in serum or plasma is useful in the diagnosis of mycoses. However, recent studies have questioned the clinical utility of this assay. In this study, we examined serum glucan levels in intensive care unit (ICU) patients and attempt to correlate serum glucan levels with the presence of fungal infection. Following attainment of informed consent, serum was harvested from 46 ICU patients with confirmed fungal infections, confirmed bacterial infections, or no evidence of infection. Sera from eight healthy volunteers served as control. Serum glucan was assayed with a glucan-specific Limulus assay. Serum glucan levels were increased (69.6 ؎ 17 pg/ml; P < 0.001) in ICU patients versus the normal (11.5 ؎ 1.3 pg/ml) and noninfected ICU (27.4 ؎ 17 pg/ml) controls. However, serum glucan levels were not different in patients with confirmed fungal infections versus those with confirmed bacterial infections. Thus, serum glucan levels did not show a correlation with the presence of fungal infections and do not appear to be specific for fungal infections. However, the assay may be useful as a negative predictor of infection.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 76%

Serum Glucan Levels Are Not Specific for Presence of Fungal Infections in Intensive Care Unit Patients

Digby

Kalbfleisch

Glenn

et al. 2003

Clin Vaccine Immunol

139

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“…On the basis of these findings, it was confirmed that fungi release a portion of the β-glucans in their cell wall in the form of soluble β-1,3-D-glucan fragments, and those fragments were also confirmed clinically to be detected in the blood of mycosis patients. In consideration of this background, the Fungitec G Test MK (G-test) received approval for national health insurance coverage for use as serological diagnostic technique, and is currently widely used (26,57,58,60). This detection system has been shown to demonstrate a positive reaction to a majority of deep mycoses, excluding those caused by Zygomycetes, such as candidiasis, aspergillosis, trichosporosis and pneumocystosis (15,19,54,56).…”

Section: Chemistry and Biology Of Angiitis Inducer Candida Albicans mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chemistry and Biology of Angiitis Inducer, Candida albicans Water‐Soluble Mannoprotein‐β‐Glucan Complex (CAWS)

Ohno

2003

Microbiology and Immunology

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“…Measurement of 1,3-b b-D-glucan by Fungitec G Test MK The activation of factor G (limulus reactivity) by 1,3-b-Dglucans was measured by a chromogenic method using a 1,3-b-D-glucan-specific reagent (Fungitec G-test MK, Seikagaku Corp.), which eliminates factor C. 39,40) Each 1,3-b-D-glucan was dissolved in 0.3 N NaOH (1 mg/ml) and diluted with 0.01 N NaOH. Usually, enough dilution was done by 0.01 N NaOH, and the sample solution was used directly for the limulus reaction without neutralization.…”

Section: )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Antitumor .BETA.-Glucan from the Cultured Fruit Body of Agaricus blazei.

Ohno

Furukawa

Miura

et al. 2001

Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin

192

156

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An immunomodulating substance, a biological response modifier (BRM) or biotherapy is important for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. b-Glucan is a well-known BRM which is widely distributed in nature and used as a medicine and food. [1][2][3][4][5] The effects of "Lentinan" from Lentinus edodes and "Sonifilan" (SPG) from Schizophyllum commune in cancer therapy have been clinically proven.6,7) We have already developed b-glucans, GRN from Grifola frondosa, [8][9][10] SSG and TSG from Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, [11][12][13] OL-2 from Omphalia lapidescens, 14) PVS and PVG from Peziza vesiculosa, 15) CSBG from Candida spp., 16) OX-ZYM from a yeast cell preparation, zymosan, 17,18) and SCG from Sparaccis crispa. 19) We have also prepared several carboxymethyl, hydroxyethyl, sulfate, and polyol derivatives of the above b-glucans.20) In addition, we have analyzed the mechanism of b-glucan mediated immunopharmacological activity and identified the conformation dependent and independent activity. [21][22][23][24][25] These rather complicated relationships between structure and activity suggest the contribution of multiple receptor-ligand interactions in b-glucan mediated immunopotentiation.The incidence of cancer is gradually increasing and the spectrum of cancer-prone organs is changing each year. In addition to surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy, immunotherapy is believed to be an important cancer therapy. 26)Immunotherapy and biotherapy include various approaches, such as BRMs, cytokines, lymphocyte transplantation, gene therapy, and herbal and alternative medicines. Clinical trials of these therapies are being widely carried out, and clinical evidence suggests their efficacy, although the precise mechanisms are still difficult to understand. The development of additional b-glucans is still needed for better biotherapy and to understand the molecular mechanisms.Agaricus blazei is a medical mushroom widely eaten and prescribed in Japan. There are various kind of health foods containing A. blazei and/or its extracts, but the molecular mechanisms of its action is far beyond complete understanding. The most anticipated pharmacological effect of A. blazei is modulation of the immune system against cancer. In the last decade, there have been several studies which focused on an antitumor polysaccharide from A. blazei, i.e., 1,6-b-glucan, glucan-protein complex, a-glucan, and heteroglycan. 27-34) Antitumor polysaccharides were screened not only in the fruitbody but also the liquid cultured medium and mycelium. One of the best characterized components, FIII-2-b, was prepared from the sodium hydroxide extract of the fruit body, and the structure was analyzed by methylation and NMR analyses. Contribution of a protein moiety to the activity of FIII-2-b was speculated by loss of the activity by partial formolysis. In the preliminary investigation, we have also determined that the major carbohydrate component of the fruit body of A. blazei is 1,6-b-glucan; however, we have already shown that a linear 1,6-b-glucan,...

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Detection of plasma (1 → 3)-β-d-glucan in patients withFusarium, Trichosporon, SaccharomycesandAcremoniumfungaemias

Cited by 99 publications

References 10 publications

Serum Glucan Levels Are Not Specific for Presence of Fungal Infections in Intensive Care Unit Patients

Serum Glucan Levels Are Not Specific for Presence of Fungal Infections in Intensive Care Unit Patients

Chemistry and Biology of Angiitis Inducer, Candida albicans Water‐Soluble Mannoprotein‐β‐Glucan Complex (CAWS)

Antitumor .BETA.-Glucan from the Cultured Fruit Body of Agaricus blazei.

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