• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.360-363
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• 2008

Two barley malt samples were selected at two different stages of germination, a well-modified malt germinated for 96 hr and a poorly-modified malt for 60 hr, and were analyzed for total, insoluble, and soluble ${\beta}$-glucan contents. The total ${\beta}$-glucan content in raw barley was 3.96%, and the content was reduced during malting. The total ${\beta}$-glucan contents of the poorly- and well-modified malts were 1.02% and 0.18%, respectively. After 4 days of germination, approximately 95% of the ${\beta}$-glucan present in the barley was degraded. A significantly higher proportion of water-soluble ${\beta}$-glucan was found in the well-modified malt, suggesting that ${\beta}$-glucan solubility was dependent on cell wall modifications in the malt (${\beta}$-glucan breakdown). The proportion of water-soluble ${\beta}$-glucan was also affected by the extraction temperature. The two differently modified malts were mashed isothermally at 45, 55, 65, and 75oC for 2 hr. An increasing mashing temperature resulted in increased viscosity for the wort and the resulting beer. The viscosity of the wort from the well-modified malt was significantly low, due to its low initial malt ${\beta}$-glucan with increased solubility as well as a presumably sufficient ${\beta}$-glucanase activity during mashing.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2009

The $\beta$-glucans derived from yeast cell walls have been reported for having many immunomodulatory activities in vivo and in vitro. In this study, Aureobasidium-derived soluble branched (1,3-1,6) $\beta$-glucan (Sophy $\beta$-glucan) was checked for natural killer (NK) activity and for the production of IFN-$\gamma$ and IL-4 in Leishmania amazonensis infection. The main experiment was performed with a group of female C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice, orally supplemented with 5% of Sophy $\beta$-glucan and infected with promastogotes of L. amazonensis ($1\;{\times}\;10^7$) into the footpad. Increase in the footpad thickness with time was observed in BALB/c mice in spite of the oral Sophy $\beta$-glucan supplement, but it was less in C57BL/6 mice. The difference in overall mean footpad thickness between 'infection only' versus 'infection + glucan' groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). High NK activity in C57BL/6 than BALB/c mice was observed in 'glucan only' group compared to the control group and also in 'infection + glucan' group compared to 'infection only' group. The difference in the NK activity among these groups was significant (P < 0.05). The IFN-$\gamma$ level increased at weeks 7 and 8 post-infection in C57BL/6 mice and was significantly high in 'infection + glucan' group compared to the 'infection only' group (P < 0.05). IL-4 levels did not increase up to detectable levels throughout the study. The results led a conclusion that Sophy $\beta$-glucan enhances NK activity and cellular immunity in L. amazonensis-infected mice.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.41 no.spc1
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• pp.10-24
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• 1996

[ ($1{\to}3$) ], ($1{\to}4$)-${\beta}$-D-glucans(${\beta}-glucans$) are a major component of the cell walls of grasses as a component of the cereal endosperm and aleurone cell walls. Although ${\beta}-glucans$ exist in all cereals, their concentration is highest in oats and barley. Genetic and environmental differences are found in total ${\beta}-glucan$ content. Both oats and barley ${\beta}-glucans$ have cholesterol-lowering effects. This suggests possible use as food additives. Structural characterization of ${\beta}-glucan$ is important because structure can influence physical and physiological properties. In this review, ${\beta}-glucans$ of barley and oats are discussed in details including structure, chemical and physical properties, and nutritional implications. The use of barley and oat products as well as ${\beta}-glucan$ as a food additive continues to increase. This can provide an additional market for barley and oats, thus increasing the value of the crops.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2009

Anti-mutagenic and anti-septic effects of $\beta$-1,3/1,6-glucan from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 were evaluated on the on the cyclophosphamide (CPA)-cecal ligation puncture (CLP) and CPA-treated mice. To induce immunosuppression and mutagenicity, 150 and 110 mg/kg of CPA were single intraperitoneally injected at 3 or 1 day before CLP or initial $\beta$-glucan administration. In CLP animals, the cecum was mobilized and ligated below the ileocecal valve, punctured through both surfaces twice with a 22-gauge needle. 125 mg/kg of $\beta$-glucan were dissolved in saline and subcutaneously or orally administered in a volume of 10 ml/kg (of body weight), 4 times, 12 hrs intervals from 6 hrs after CLP or 1 day after second dose of CPA. After treatment of $\beta$-glucan, the mortalities were observed in CPA-CLP model, and the appearance of a micronucleus is used as an index for genotoxic potential in CPA model. As results of CPA-CLP sepsis, all animals (9/9, 100%) in CPA-CLP control were dead within 2 days after CLP. In addition, increase of the number of bone marrow MNPCEs indicated mutagenicity were also observed by treatment of CPA. However, $\beta$-glucan treatment effectively inhibited the mortalities in CPA-CLP, and it also reduced the CPA treatment-related mutagenicity, respectively. These results indicated that $\beta$-glucan has effective anti-septic and anti-mutagenic effects and can be used as an agents for treating sepsis and mutagenicity related to high-dose chemotherapy or radiotherapy. However, further studies should be conducted to observe more detail action mechanisms of it's anti-septic and anti-mutagenic effects.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 1986

The contents of water soluble ${\beta}-glucan$ were $1.4{\sim}4.0%$ in grains of 4 recommended varieties, and $0.3{\sim}0.6%$ in their malt. The ${\beta}-glucan$ content was subject to environmental factors such as cultivating region and nitrogen fertilizer level. The ${\beta}-glucan$ content of grains was positively correlated with the viscosity, but negatively with the protein and total gum contents. The ${\beta}-glucanase$ activity was $11.0{\sim}20.0$ sec as the reduced flow time in malt of 4 recommended varieties and was also subject to environmental factors. ${\beta}-Glucanase$ activity showed the highest level after the 6th day during malting. The ${\beta}-glucanase$ activity in malt was positively correlated with malt extract, but negatively with the residual ${\beta}-glucan$ content. The protein content in malt was negatively correlated with malt extract, but positively with the diastatic power.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2004

The effects of dietary $\beta$-1,3/1,6-linked glucan administration on nonspecific immune responses, hematology and disease resistance against Edwardsiella tarda in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus were evaluated. Fish were fed the experimental diets supplemented with 0 %, 0.01 %, 0.05 %, 0.1 %, and 0.5 % of $\beta$-glucan to a commercial diet for 7 weeks. The test was performed in two ways such as fed on each $\beta$-glucan concentrations daily and every other week alternately. The body weight gain from the fish fed on daily the 0.05 % supplemented diet and fed on alternately the 0.1 % supplemented diet of $\beta$-glucan were significantly higher than the control. Both lysozyme activity and intracellular superoxide anion production of kidney phagocytes were higher in the all experimental groups than in the control. But there was no large difference in hematology among each group. The relative percent survival rate (RPS) after an artificial challenge with $4{\times}10^6$ cells of E. tarda per fish was higher than the control, except for that fed on daily the 0.01 % supplemented diet.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1164-1170
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• 1999

The physicochemical characteristics of ${\beta}-glucan$ isolated from waxy and non-waxy barley were investigated. The hull-less waxy and non-waxy barley containing 6.5% and 5.3% of total ${\beta}-glucan$ respectively, were used as a starting material. The yield and ${\beta}-glucan$ content of crude ${\beta}-glucan$ from waxy barley was 5.54% and 62.9%, respectively, and those were higher than 3.34% and 59.2% from non-waxy barley. The crude ${\beta}-glucan$ purified with selective precipitation and enzymatic treatment to obtain the ${\beta}-glucan$ isolate of high purity (>99%). The total yield of purified ${\beta}-glucan$ from waxy and non-waxy barley was 4.46% and 2.59%, respectively. The surface appearance of the purified ${\beta}-glucan$ by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed randomly entangled multi-net structure of ${\beta}-glucan$ microfibrils. The melting temperature of ${\beta}-glucan$ from waxy and non-waxy barley measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was $184.6^{\circ}C$, and $180.3^{\circ}C$, respectively. DSC endotherm of ${\beta}-glucan$ solution showed 2 peaks near $68^{\circ}C$ and $84^{\circ}C$. Enthalpy of phase transition was higher in non-waxy ${\beta}-glucan$ than waxy ${\beta}-glucan$, and the intrinsic viscosity of ${\beta}-glucan$ solution from waxy barley was higher than that of non-waxy ${\beta}-glucan$. The pasting viscosity of barley starch with the purified ${\beta}-glucan$ determined by Rapid Visco-Analyzer was higher than that of barley starch without ${\beta}-glucan$, and the effect of ${\beta}-glucan$ on increasing the paste viscosity was greater in non-waxy barley starch.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.110-117
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• 2007

The quality characteristics of sponge cake with added ${\beta}-glucan$(2, 4 and 6%) were evaluated. Rapid decreases in moisture content in the sponge cake were observed during storage($20^{\circ}C$, 70% relative humidity) in control and 2% ${\beta}-glucan$ cakes by day 3 of storage, while the moisture content in the 4% and 6% ${\beta}-glucan-added$ sponge cake slowly decreased until day 12 of storage. During storage, hardness was much lower in groups with added ${\beta}-glucan$ than in control. On day 1 L, a and b values of both crust and crumb of sponge cake with added ${\beta}-glucan$ were not significantly different from control, although the a and b values decreased significantly with storage days. Sensory test revealed that the scores for over-all acceptability were much higher in sponge cake with added ${\beta}-glucan$, and the same results were obtained on day 5. Based on these results, ${\beta}-glucan$ addition maintained moisture content and had an overall good effect on sponge cake.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.180-184
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• 2009

The apoptotic effect of bacteria-derived $\beta$-glucan was investigated in human colon cancer cells SNU-C4 using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, and Caspase-3 genes, and assay of caspase-3 enzyme activity. $\beta$-Glucan of 10, 50, and $100{\mu}g$/mL decreased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner with typical apoptotic characteristics, such as morphological changes of chromatin condensation and apoptotic body formation from TUNEL assay. In addition, $\beta$-glucan ($100{\mu}g$/mL) decreased the expression of Bc1-2 by 0.6 times, whereas the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 were increased by 3.1 and 2.3 times, respectively, compared to untreated control group. Furthermore, the caspase-3 activity in the $\beta$-glucan-treated group was significantly increased compared to those in control group (P < 0.05). Bacterial derived $\beta$-glucan could be used as an effective compound inducing apoptosis in human colon cancer.

• 한국약용작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.11a
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• pp.103-115
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• 2006

[ ${\beta}-Glucan$ ] is a glucose polymer that has linkage of ${\beta}-(1,3)$, -(1,4) and -(1,6). As exclusively found in fungal and bacterial cell wall, not in animal, ${\beta}-glucans$ are recognized by innate immune system. Dendritic cells (DC) or macrophages possesses pattern recognition molecule (PRM) for binding ${\beta}-glucans$ as pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP). Recently ${\beta}-glucans$ receptor was cloned from DC and named as dectin-l which belongs to type II C-type lectin family. Human dectin-l is consisted of 7 exons and 6 introns. The polypeptide of dectin-l has 247 amino acids and has cytoplasmic, transmembrane, stalk and carbohydrate recognition domains. Dectin-l could recognize variety of beta-l,3 and/or beta-l,6 glucan linkages, but not alpha-glucans. In our macrophage cell line culture system, dectin-l mRNA was detected in RA W264.7 cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Dectin-l was also detected in the murine organs of spleen, thymus, lung and intestines. Treatment of RA W264.7 cells with ${\beta}-glucans$ of Ganoderma lucidum (GLG) resulted in increased expression of IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ in the presence of LPS. However, GLG alone did not increase IL-6 nor $TNF-{\alpha}$ These results suggest that receptor dectin-l cooperate with CD14 to activate signal transduction that is very critical in immunoresponse.