Lee Swanson Research Update

Beta-Glucan Enhances Human Immune Cells

December 2004

Beta Glucan

Further evidence was found that beta-glucan enhances the ability of certain human immune cells to navigate to the site of a bacterial infection, a study conducted at the Department of Surgery at Rhode Island Hospital and Brown University shows.

According to the study, published in the August issue of Surgery, beta-glucan binds to receptors (CR3) on neutrophils - the most abundant type of innate immune cell in the body - and benefits the host defense in two ways. The first is increased killing capacity of the neutrophils, and the other is migration to the site of an infection or challenge.

Neutrophils are attracted to the site of an infection by blood proteins called chemo attractants 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," said Jonathan Reichner, Ph.D., lead researcher of the study and associate professor of surgery at Rhode Island Hospital and associate director of the pathobiology graduate program at Brown University. "As a result, beta-glucan helps neutrophils locate the bacterial mother lode within an infected tissue. This more rapid response to infection results in faster microbial clearance and in healing."

Surgery 136(2):384-389, 2004

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