Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death among the aging men. Surgical or radio therapy is effective when the cancer is confined to the prostate gland but once the cancer spreads beyond the pelvis, even chemotherapy and hormonal ablation therapy fails in curing this disease. Our previous studies have shown that β-glucan induces apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Cellular viability of these cells treated with β-glucan was measured by MTT assay. β-glucan induced dose- and time-dependent inhibition of cell viability in LNCaP cancer cells. In flow cytometry analysis, β-glucan induced dose- and timedependent apoptotic activities in LNCaP cancer cells. In addition, increased of expression caspase-3, caspase-9, Bax, and cytochrome C but decreased of expression Bcl-2 was observed in LNCaP cells treated with β-glucan. These results suggest that β-glucan induces apoptosis in LNCaP human prostate cancer cells mediated mainly through the increased of expression caspase-3, -9, Bax, cytochrome C and decreased of expression Bcl-2.

영지버섯을 재배하여 자실체를 수확 한 후, 버섯류의 유용성분으로 알려진 베타글루칸과 폴리페놀에대한 성분 함량을 비교 분석하였다. 영지버섯 대부분의 베타글루칸 함량은 15~20%정도 이었다. 상황버섯의 함량 17.5%보다 높게 나온 영지버섯 균주는 8균주로 ASI 7017, 7019, 7022, 7039, 7058, 7069,7071, 7113, 7148이었으며, 그 중 ASI 7017은 19.2%로 가장 높았다. 또한 용매를 달리하여 추출해서 얻은 각각의 폴리페놀 함량은 많게는 10배 이상 차이가 나는 것을 알 수 있었다. 이것은 달리 말하자면각각의 버섯에 맞는 용매를 써야 보다 효율적으로 유용성분이 추출된다는 것을 말해 주는 분석 결과이다.이러한 연구 결과는 좀더 많은 버섯을 비교하여 추후식용 빛 약용버섯류의 기능성 평가를 위한 기초자료로 활용될 수 있다.

민주름버섯목의 구멍장이버섯과에 속하는 영지(Ganoderma lucidum)는 정신안정, 심장병 및 고혈암 예방 효과가 있으며, 복분자(Rubus coreanus)는 항염증작용과 항산화 작용이 보고 되어 있다. 영지버섯 균사체를 활용하여 생약초 발효 식품을 개발하고자, 현미에 복분자 부산 물 20%첨가한 후, 영지균사체로 배양하여, 동결건조한 후, 시료로 사용하였다. 본 연구에서는 생약초 발효 식품 개발의 일환으로 구성아미노산과 기능성 물질인 β-glucan의 함량을 분석하 였다. β-Glucan은 다당류의 일종으로 면역증강작용을 가지고 있어, 인간정상세포의 면역기능 을 활성화시켜 암세포의 증식과 재발을 억제시키는 물질로 알려져 있다. 영지의 구성아미노산 의 함량은 3,054.35 mg%로 나타났으며 그 중 필수아미노산의 함량은 1,514.76 mg%로 나타났 고, β-glucan 함량은 18.25%로 나타났다. 현미에 복분자 부산물 20%를 첨가하여 표고 균사체 를 배양한 배양미의 구성아미노산의 함량은 6,489.02 mg%로 나타났으며 그 중 필수아미노산 의 함량은 2,439.34 mg%로 나타났고, 배양미의 β-glucan 함량은 9.90%로 나타났다. 이상의 결과는 복분자, 영지 및 현미의 배합으로 필수아미노산 함량이 높아짐을 보여, 아미노산 함유 가공식품 개발에 효율적일 것으로 보인다. 사 사 : 본 연구는 산업통산자원부 지역특화기술융복합연구지원사업으로 수행되었으며, 이에 감사드립니다.

The aim of this study was to evaluate immunopotentiating activities of β-glucan derived from Saccharomyces (S.) cerevisiae and to select new strains having possibility as an immune-enhancing substance. We examined SB20 strains derived from commercial product as a control, and extracted β-glucans from the four strains of S. cerevisiae. RAW264.7 macrophages were treated with heat-killed yeasts, β-glucans, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The production of nitric oxide (NO) and cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β were then quantified. When macrophages were induced directly by in vitro addition of β-glucan, little production of NO and IL-1β was observed. When pretreated with strong stimulants, i.e., LPS, most yeasts showed down-modulation of NO and IL-1β production. However, TNF-α secretion was triggered by β-glucans and even more increased by the mixture effect of LPS and β-glucans. In particular, S6 strain induced TNF-α secretion more than other strains. Therefore, we can conclude that the S6 strain has possibility as an immune-enhancing substance.

This study investigated the effects of temperature, solvent concentration, and pH on the β-glucan extraction. Oat bran β-glucan was extracted with different extraction conditions, using various combinations of experiment factors, such as temperature (40, 45, 50, 55, and 60℃), ethanol concentration (0, 5, 10, 15, and 20%), and pH (5, 6, 7, 8, and 9). Under the various extraction conditions, β-glucan extraction rate and overall mass transfer coefficient of oat bran β-glucan, and viscosity of oat bran extracts were investigated. As increasing the extraction time, the extraction rate of β-glucan increased. The overall mass transfer coefficient of β-glucan ranged from 3.36×10^-6 to 8.55×10^-6 ㎝/min, indicating the lowest at the extraction condition of 45℃, 15% and pH 8, and the highest at 50℃, 0% and pH 7. It was significantly greater with increasing extraction temperature and decreasing ethanol concentrations of extraction solvent, except for solvent pH. There were positive correlations among the overall mass transfer coefficient, the extraction rate of β-glucan, and the viscosity of extract.

생활수준이 향상되면서 건강식품을 통해 건강한 삶을 누리려는 경향이 증대되고 있다. 더불어 식물유래 천연물 성분에 대한 관심도 높아지면서 각종 영양소를 함유하고 있는 버섯에 대한 관심도 증가하고 있는 추세이다. 그 중 버섯에 함유 되어있는 β-glucan이 주목되고 있는데, β-glucan 은 면역 활성체의 기능, 항산화능, 생체조직 재생과 치유기능, 항생제, 항균, 항바이러스 및 대식세포를 자극하여 돌연변이 세포를 인식하고 공격하는 항종양 효과 등이 있다고 보고된 바 있다. 본 실험에서는 꽃송이 버섯(Sparassis crispa)과 표고 버섯(Lentinus edodes)을 대상으로 하여 다양한 배양방법에 따른 β-glucan 함량과 항산화 활성의 변화를 조사 하였다. 꽃송이 버섯, 표고 버섯의 β-glucan 함량은 메가자임사의 β-glucan assay kit(Megazyme International Ireland Limited, Wicklow, Ireland)를 사용하여 측정하였고, 항산화 활성의 검정은 DPPH(1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) 활성감소와 nitric oxide radical 소거능 감소를 통해 확인하였다. β-glucan의 함량은 버섯 수확량과 반비례 관계를 나타내었으며 항산화 활성과는 상관관계가 있는 것으로 판단된다. 본 연구를 통하여 높은 β-glucan 함량을 지니며 항산화 활성능이 우수한 꽃송이 버섯과 표고버섯의 기능성 증대를 위한 배양방법을 제안할 수 있었다.

Edible mushrooms have been used and researched as medicinal ingredients. They improve immunity and contain excellent anticancer components with large amounts of minerals such as iron, calcium, and potassium. Due to this reason, it has been hailed as a raw material for functional foods. Especially, β-glucan, known to be contained in Ganoderma incidum Karst, Coriolus versicolor, and Phellinus linteus, was reported to inhibit proliferation of cancer cells by activating immune function (macrophages, natural killer cells and T-cells). In addition, mushroom polysaccharides dissolve in water but are undigested ingredients, resulting in stimulating the immune system as well as staying of parasympathetic nervous system in the stomach for a long time. As a result, they induce increase of T-cells and NK cell that attacks cancer cell and has effect on the discharge of body's waste products, blood purification, and constipation improvement. In this study, we report the culture characteristics of Sparassis crispa as to the medium growth compositions, yeast, and elicitor treatments to investigate the optimal condition for the highest β-glucan production in mushrooms.

To investigate the toxicological effects of β-glucan, we performed basic studying on β-glucan in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Standard endpoints in this study included mortality, clinical observations, changes of body weights, analysis on food consumption, ophthalmoscopic examination, hematologic examination, serum biochemistry,analysis of organ weights, gross anatomic pathology and histopathology. No clinical signs and mortality were observed in animals treated with beta-glucan throughout the experimental period. The average body weight of each treatment groups showed similar levels at end of experiment. There were no treatment-related changes in mortality,body weights changes, food consumption, ophthalmoscopic examination. Although there were statistically significant differences between the control and treated groups in some relative and absolute organ weights, and hematological and biochemical analysis, the data were in biologically normal ranges and did not show a dose-dependent manner. In the morphological change, hepatic tissue were not showed ballooning degeneration and irregular arrangement of hepatic cell in β-glucan treatment groups with control group. Also, organs weights (liver, heart, kidney and stomach) and hematological indices (WBC, RBC, Hb, Hct and Platelet) did not show statistically significant differences among the experimental groups. In summary of these results, there were no changes in mortality, mean body weight, clinical signs, food consumption. There were no changes in ophthalmological examination, hematology, blood chemistry,necropsy and histopathology. In conclusion, although further investigation of glucan should be performed in the functions registered in many ancient literatures, β-glucan is physiologically safe and may have potential as candidate food for human health.

본 연구에서는 미강과 배아로부터의 β-glucan 추출 공정 최적화를 위해 반응표면 분석법으로 모니터링하였다. 중심합성계획법에 따라 추출 온도(X1), 추출 시간(X2), 추출 온도(X3)를 요인변수(Xn)로 하고 미강 추출물의 전자공여능(Y1), 배아 추출물의 전자공여능(Y2), 미강 추출물의 total phenolics(Y3), 배아 추출물의 total phenolics(Y4), 미강 추출물의 β-glucan 함량(Y5), 배아 추출물의 β-glucan 함량(Y6)을 종속변수로 하여 시행하였다. 실험 결과 미강 추출물의 전자공여능도는 추출 온도에 영향을 받음을 알 수 있었다. 안장점에서 추출 조건은 추출 온도는 60.41oC, 추출 시간은 2.75 min, 에탄올 농도 92.60%로 예측되었으며 이 때 84.02%로 비교적 높은 항산화 활성을 보여주었다. 배아 추출물의 전자공여능도의 안장점에서 추출 조건은 추출 온도 54.40oC, 추출 시간 2.23 min, 에탄올 농도 87.52%였다. 미강 추출물의 total phenolics는 추출 온도와 에탄올 농도에 영향을 크게 받은 것으로 나타났고 안장점에서 추출 조건은 추출 온도 40.26oC, 추출 시간 6.69 min, 에탄올 농도 98.56%로 예측되었고 배아 추출물의 total phenolics는 최소점에서 추출 온도 53.67oC, 추출 시간 9.19 min, 에탄올 농도 95.73%에서 최대값을 나타내었다. 미강 추출물의 β-glucan 함량은 안장점일 때 추출 조건이 추출 온도 64.69oC, 추출 시간 7.70 min, 에탄올 농도 96.23%로 나타났다. 배아 추출물의 β-glucan 함량은 추출 시간에 영향을 크게 받았으며 최소점에서 추출 온도 50.03oC, 추출 시간 2.10 min, 에탄올 농도 87.82%에서 미강 추출물에서보다 더 높은 최대값을 나타내었다.

약용버섯(상황·영지) β-glucan 미세캡슐 제품을 10℃, 25℃, 40℃에서 5개월 동안 저장하며 한 달 간격으로 수분함량, 색도 및 일반세균 변화를 조사하고 식품 유통기한 설정 프로그램을 이용하여 유통기한을 예측하였다. 수분함량 변화 결과 상황버섯 β-glucan 미세캡슐은 저장기간 동안 25℃와 40℃에서는 변화가 없었으나 10℃에서는 3개월째에서 증가한 후 감소하였고, 영지버섯 β-glucan 미세캡슐은 저장기간 동안 25℃와 40℃에서 약간의 증가 및 감소가 있었으나 10℃에서는 저장 3개월째에서 초기값보다 감소한 후 증가하였다. 색도 변화는 상황버섯, 영지버섯 β-glucan 미세캡슐 모두 10℃, 25℃, 40℃에서 저장 5개월째까지 큰 차이를 나타내지 않았다. 일반세균은 상황버섯, 영지버섯 β-glucan 미세캡슐의 저장기간 및 저장온도에 따른 큰 변화 없이 초기값을 유지하였다. 이들 결과를 바탕으로 상황버섯 β-glucan 미세캡슐은 30.11개월이었고, 영지버섯 β-glucan 미세캡슐은 24.82개월의 유통기한을 최종적으로 산출하였다. 따라서 약용버섯(상황·영지) β-glucan 미세캡슐 제품의 유통기한을 각각 24개월로 설정하는 것이 바람직할 것으로 사료된다.

In this study, β-1,3/1,6-glucan, lactic acid bacteria, and β-1,3/1,6-glucan+lactic acid bacteria were tested for 10 weeks using an immunodeficient animal model infected with LP-BM5 murine AIDS virus On the immune activity. Cytokines production, plasma immunoglobulin concentration, T cell and B cell proliferation were measured. As a result, the T cell proliferative capacity which was weakened by immunization with LP-BM5 murine AIDS virus increased significantly T cell proliferative capacity compared with the red ginseng control group. B cell proliferative capacity was significantly higher than the infected control group. Increased B cell proliferation was reduced. In the cytokine production, IL-2, IL-12 and IL-15 in the Th1-type cytokine increased the secretion of IL-2, IL-12 and IL-15 compared to the infected control. The proliferative capacity of the treated group was higher than that of the mixed treatment group. TNF-α was significantly decreased compared with the infected control group. The IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 levels were significantly inhibited in the infected control group and the Th1/Th2 type cytokine expression was regulated by immunohistochemistry. IgE, IgA, and IgG levels were significantly lower in the immunoglobulin secretion assay than in the control. As a result, the immunomodulatory effect of β-1,3/1,6-glucan+lactic acid bacteria was confirmed by mixing with LP-BM5 murine AIDS virus-infected immunodeficient animal model.

β-Glucan is a natural compound contained in cell walls of yeast or fungi, and cereal’s fiber. It is also known to boost the immune system in human. Aureobasidium is a producer of water-soluble β-1,3/1,6-glucan. In this study, natural killer (NK) cell and macrophage activity were tested to investigate the effects of β-1,3/1,6-glucan isolated from A. pullulans on immune activity. Activation of NK cell was increased about 63-39% by the treatment of 10-200 μg/mL β-1,3/1,6-glucan than control. Besides, only 10 μg/mL of β-1,3/1,6-glucan was enough to boost activation of NK cell. Phagocytosis of macrophage was increased to 15~21% by the treatment of 10~200 μg/mL of β-1,3/1,6-glucan than zymosan-treatment. In LP-BM5 proliferating inhibition test, relative mRNA level of LP-BM5 virus was decreased in β-1,3/1,6-glucan-treated cell about 36~74% than control. The decline of LP-BM5 mRNA level appeared to depend on the concentration of β-1,3/1,6-glucan. These results suggest that pure β-1,3/1,6-glucan from A. pullulans might be contributing to enhancement of immune activity through the activation of NK cell and phagocytosis of macrophage. Moreover, treatment of the β-1,3/1,6-glucan could increase the resistance to virus infection such as LP-BM5 through the restraining of the multiplication.

상황버섯을 90℃에서 환류추출 시 시간과 추출용매의 조건(물 및 에탄올 농도, pH)에 따른 추출물을 제조하여 β-glucan 함량과 항산화활성 및 항산화성분의 함량을 조사 하였다. 상황버섯 추출물은 추출시간이 길어짐에 따라 수 율과 β-glucan 함량이 증가하여 24시간 추출 조건을 실험에 사용하였다. 추출용매에 따른 상황버섯 추출물의 수율은 60% 에탄올, pH 4의 조건에서 가장 높았다. β-glucan 함량 은 열수 추출물에서 높은 함량을 나타내었고, 산성과 중성 조건에서 높게 나타났다. 항산화활성은 60% 에탄올, pH 7 조건에서 추출한 것이 가장 높았다. 항산화성분의 함량 또한 항산화활성과 같은 경향을 보였으며, 수율, β-glucan 함량, 항산화활성 및 성분을 모두 고려하였을 때 60% 에탄 올, pH 7 추출 조건이 적합하였다.

The mushroom Coriolusversicolor contains biologically active polysaccharides, most of which belong to the β glucan group. Diverse physicochemical properties, due to different sources and isolated types of β-glucans, may induce distinct biological activities. Here, we examined the effects of β-glucan from Coriolusversicolor (CVG) on the scavenger receptor B1 (SR-B1) expression and the role of SR-B1 in CVG-induced phagocytosis regulation by using SR-B1-specific shRNA transfected cells. We also examined whether Dectin-1 and CK2 are involved in SR-B1 expression in CVG-treated cells. Our study results showed that CVG increased the SR-B1 expression via Dectin-1 and CK2 in macrophages. However, the inhibition of SR-B1 expression by shRNA did not completely eliminate the effect of CVG on the increase of phagocytosis suggesting that SR-B1 is not essential for CVG-stimulated phagocytosis. This study will contribute to identify CVG's mechanism of action and its use in the development of functional foods.

Varietal and annual variations in the contents of β-glucan fractions per weight grain samples were examined in sixteen covered and eighteen naked barley and five oat cultivars developed in Korea. Also, the effect of pearling on β-glucan content was invest