Lentinan

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Material type:	Polymer
Material group:	Homo polysaccharide, branched Mycolaminaran beta-(1-3),(1-6)-glucan
Monomer(s):	D-glucose
Links:	beta-(1-3) beta-(1-6)
Origin of the polymer:	Natural

Structure

(→3)-ß-D-glucose(1→) (main chain) (→6)-ß-D-glucose(1→) (side chain), ~40% branched [1]. Can form single and triple helices [2]. The fully hydrated gel consists primarily of triple helices with minimal hydration of 96% RH [3].

Chemical properties

Solubility
Soluble in water [1].

Crystallographic data [5].

Biological properties

Antitumor activity [1]. Used clinically as an immunopotentiator for cancer therapy in Japan [2].
Activates the classical and alternative pathways of complement (CPC and APC respectively), the single helix activates better than the triple helix [2].

The lentinan-BSA conjugate react with the murine monoclonal antibody Mab MPG2 [4]. It has been suggested, that the Mab MPG2 mainly recognize (1→3)-ß-D-glucan [4].

Physical properties

Appearance
	Physical state @ 20°C:	Solid

Occurence, isolation & synthesis

Occurence
Lentinus edodes [3].

References

1: Ohno,N., Emori,Y., Yadomae,T., Saito,K., Masuda,A., Oikawa,S. Reactivity of Limulus amoebocyte lysate towards (1→3)-beta-D-glucans
Carbohydr. Res. (1990) 207 311-8

2: T.Suzuki, N.Ohno, K.Saito, T.Yadomae. Activation of the Complement System by (1→3)-ß-D-Glucans Having Different Degrees of Branching and Different Ultrastructures
J. Pharmacobio-Dyn. (1992) 15 277-85

3: H.Saito, Y.Yoshioka, M.Yoloi, J.Yamada. Distinct Gelation Mechanism Between Linear and Branched (1→3)-ß-D-Glucans as Revealed by High Resolution Solid State ¹³C NMR
Biopolymers (1990) 29 1689-98

4: Hirata,A., Adachi,Y., Itoh,W., Komoda,M., Tabata,K., Sugawara,I. Monoclonal Antibody to Proteoglycan Derived from Grifola frondosa (Maitake)
Biol. Pharm. Bull. (1994) 17 539-542

5: Sundararajan,P.R., Marchessault,R.H. Bibliography of crystal structures of polysaccharides 1977-1979
Adv. Carbohydr. Chem. Biochem. (1982) 40 381-399

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© Michael Pilgaard
Created: March 6, 2008