Effect of sulfation on the biological activity of ß (1 3) glucans from the tree fungus Cyttaria harioti Fischer

A. FERN¨¢NDEZ CIRELLI; J. COVI¨¢N

CARBOHYDRATE RESEARCH

Elsevier

Lugar: Amsterdam ; Año: 1989 vol. 190 p. 329 - 337

0008-6215

Glucans containing ¦Â-(1¨¤3)-and ¨C(1¨¤6) linkages, present in virtually all fungi, are of interest because of their potencial antitumor activity. Investigations on the chemistry of Cyttaria harioti Fischer [one of the most abundant species among the Argentine Cyttariales (Discomycetes), wich grow as obligate parasites on Nothofagus, producing characteristic tumors that infect the tree and finally cause its death] showed that ¦Â-(1¨¤3)-D-glucans account for 89% of the cell walls.The primary structure of the major component (HG) is similar to that of schyzophyllan,, scleroglucan, or grifolan, all of wich have been reported to be antitumor active. Antitumor activity against sarcoma 180 in mice has been reported for a fructoglucan isolated from Cyttaria johowii. This paper is concerned with the effect of sulfation on the antitumor activity of the alkali-soluble glucan (H-G) and its periodote oxidation-Smith-degradation product (H-L). The miotogenic responses of murine Spleen cells to the sulfated glucans were also examined