Dynamics of α-glucan from Agrocybe cylindracea water extract at different developmental stages and its structure characteristics.

Polysaccharides are the important bioactive macromolecules in Agrocybe cylindracea, but their changes are as yet elusive during developmental process. This study investigated the dynamic changes of polysaccharides from A. cylindracea fruiting body water extract at four developmental stages and its structure characteristics. Results revealed that the polysaccharides from A. cylindracea water extract significantly increased at the pileus expansion stage and the increased fraction could be α-glucan. The further purification and identification indicated that this α-glucan was a glycogen. It had typical morphology of ß particles with a molecular weight of 1375 kDa. Its backbone comprised α-D-(1 â†’ 4)-Glcp and α-D-(1 â†’ 4,6)-Glcp residues at a ratio of 5:1, terminated by α-D-Glcp residue. Rheological behavior suggested that it was a Newtonian fluid at the concentration of 1 %. In addition, despite both the glycogen and natural starch were composed of D-glucose, they exhibited the entirely distinct Maltese cross characteristic and unique crystalline structure. This study is the first to demonstrate the presence of abundant glycogen in the pileus expansion stage of A. cylindracea, which provides new insights on the change patterns of fungal polysaccharides.

Recent advances in the biosynthesis of fungal glucan structural diversity.

Glucans are the most abundant class of macromolecule polymers in fungi, which are commonly found in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota. Fungal glucans are not only essential for cell integrity and function but also crucial for the immense industrial interest in high value applications. They present a variety of structural characteristics at the nanoscale due to the high regulation of genes and the involvement of stochastic processes in synthesis. However, although recent findings have demonstrated the genes of glucans synthesis are relatively conserved across diverse fungi, the formation and organization of diverse glucan structures is still unclear in fungi. Here, we summarize the structural features of fungal glucans and the recent developments in the mechanisms of glucans biosynthesis. Furthermore, we propose the engineering strategies of targeted glucan synthesis and point out the remaining challenges in the synthetic process. Understanding the synthesis process of diverse glucans is necessary for tailoring high value glucan towards specific applications. This engineering strategy contributes to enable the sustainable and efficient production of glucan diversity.

Characteristics and mortality in primary Sjögren syndrome-related interstitial lung disease.

ABSTRACT: Aim of the study was to determine the characteristics and prognosis, and to identify the risk factors for mortality in patients with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) with interstitial lung disease (pSS-ILD).A total of 1422 patients with SS were screened and 178 patients with pSS-ILD were recruited. The medical records and outcomes were retrospectively reviewed. Overall survival and case control study were performed to explore the predictors of death.Among 178 pSS-ILD patients, 87.1% were women. Mean age was 61.59 ±â€Š11.69-year-old. Median disease duration was 72.0 (24.0, 156.0) months. Nonspecific interstitial pneumonia was the predominant high-resolution computed tomography pattern (44.9%). Impairment in diffusion capacity was the most common abnormality of pulmonary function test (75.8%) and the most severe consequence. Type 1 respiratory failure and hypoxia were observed in 15.0% and 30.0% patients, respectively. Mean survival time after confirmation of pSS-ILD diagnosis was 9.0 (6.8, 13.0) years. The 10-year survival rate for all patients with pSS-ILD was 81.7%. Forty-four (24.7%) of 178 patients died during the follow-up period. The most predominant cause of death was respiratory failure (n = 27). Twenty-seven patients died of ILD and formed study group. The 78 patients who survived formed control group. Age and smoking were risk factors for mortality in patients with pSS-ILD. In addition, severity of ILD, as reflected by high-resolution computed tomography, pulmonary function test, and arterial blood gas, was an independent risk factor. However, inflammation status (erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein) and anti-Sjögren syndrome-related antigen A and anti-Sjögren syndrome-related antigen B were not.ILD is a severe complication of pSS. Age, smoking, and severity of lung involvement are more critical for prognosis rather than inflammation status and autoantibodies.