Studies of the modulatory effects of inflammation by carboxymethylated beta-glucan obtained from Lasiodiplodia theobromae

• Grant number: 16/20227-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2017
• End date: January 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Catarina dos Santos
• Grantee: Matheus Cerdeira Pires
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências e Letras (FCL-ASSIS). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Assis. Assis , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The fungals exopolysaccharides (EPS) are glucans that stand out for their biological potential, among which the modulation of inflammation, since macrophages have specific ²-glucan receptor able to recognize them and trigger the production of the cytokines types TNF-± (pro-inflammatory) and/or IL-10 (anti-inflammatory) mainly. However, the low water solubility of these molecules limits their intravenous aplication for producing toxicity, and the modification via carboxymethylation a organic semi-synthetic procedure that may increase the water solubility and even enhance the biological activity of glucans. Thus, this project aims to obtain carboxymethylated derivatives of ²-glucans obtained from the filamentous fungus Lasiodiplodia theobromae to verify their possible modulatory action of inflammation, which will be determinated as anti or pro-inflammatory according to the quantification of production of TNF-± and IL-10 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). (AU)