Beta glucan shown to speed up immune response

October 5, 2004

04/10/2004 - Beta glucan appears to help speed up response to

infection, which may result in faster healing, report researchers in a

new study.

The team from the Department of Surgery at Rhode Island Hospital and

Brown University has discovered that a beta glucan supplement can

enhance the ability of certain human immune cells to navigate to the

site of a bacterial infection.

They report in the August issue of Surgery (136(2), pp 384-9) that

soluble beta glucan, supplied by the US firm Biopolymer Engineering,

binds to receptors (CR3) on neutrophils, the most abundant type of

innate immune cell in the body. This both increases the killing

capacity of the neutrophils and benefits migration or chemotaxis to

the site of an infection or challenge.

Neutrophils are attracted to the site of an infection by blood

proteins called chemoattractants and are among the first cells of the

body to respond to a challenge due to infection or injury.

Priming the neutrophils with beta glucan increases their ability to

sense complement fragments emanating from the site of an infection,

according to study leader Jonathan Reichner. As a result, beta glucan

helps neutrophils locate the bacterial mother lode within a infected

tissue. This more rapid response to infection results in faster

microbial clearance and healing.

Interest in products that can boost the immune system appears to be

growing, with last year's SARS epidemic pushing many into the

limelight. Dairy ingredients such as colostrum have been popular in

Asia since the disease outbreak and others like probiotics have strong

growth worldwide.

Indeed consumer research shows that many people are buying functional

foods merely because they are concerned about future health risks

rather than specific current medical needs.

BioPolymer's WGP Beta Glucan is a patented carbohydrate derived from

the cell walls of baker's yeast. It is marketed in Europe by DKSH.

The US firm presented another recent study on the ingredient,

published in the July issue of The Journal of Immunology

(15;173(2):1284-91), at last week's Supply Side West show in Las Vegas.

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