Adjuvant Curdlan Contributes to Immunization against Cryptococcus gattii Infection in a Mouse Strain-Specific Manner.

The low efficacy and side effects associated with antifungal agents have highlighted the importance of developing immunotherapeutic approaches to treat Cryptococcus gattii infection. We developed an immunization strategy that uses selective Dectin-1 agonist as an adjuvant. BALB/c or C57BL/6 mice received curdlan or ß-glucan peptide (BGP) before immunization with heat-killed C. gattii, and the mice were infected with viable C. gattii on day 14 post immunization and euthanized 14 days after infection. Adjuvant curdlan restored pulmonary tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) levels, as induced by immunization with heat-killed C. gattii. The average area and relative frequency of C. gattii titan cells in the lungs of curdlan-treated BALB/c mice were reduced. However, this did not reduce the pulmonary fungal burden or decrease the i0,nflammatory infiltrate in the pulmonary parenchyma of BALB/c mice. Conversely, adjuvant curdlan induced high levels of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin (IL)-10 and decreased the C. gattii burden in the lungs of C57BL/6 mice, which was not replicated in ß-glucan peptide-treated mice. The adjuvant curdlan favors the control of C. gattii infection depending on the immune response profile of the mouse strain. This study will have implications for developing new immunotherapeutic approaches to treat C. gattii infection.

A hydrogen-bonded antibacterial curdlan-tannic acid hydrogel with an antioxidant and hemostatic function for wound healing.

Manufacturing facile and low-cost wound dressings that simultaneously meet the needs of the entire repair process remains the major challenge of effective wound healing. Herein, a series of curdlan-tannic acid hybrid hydrogels were successfully fabricated through the annealing technique. Notedly, when the mixing weigh ratio was 1:1, the hydrogel exhibited excellent physicochemical properties, including swellability, degradability, water retention, porosity, and rheology. Additionally, the hydrogel did not display significant cytotoxicity to fibroblasts and the hemolysis rate at 12 h was 3%. Interestingly, the hybrid hydrogel showed multifunctional properties, including remarkable antioxidant, antibacterial, and rapid hemostasis effects reduce blood loss by 0.35 g, that were achieved through the temperature-dependent release of tannic acid. Moreover, a full-thickness skin defect animal model was used to verify that the multifunctional hydrogel could accelerate wound healing in vivo. These results suggest that this hybrid hydrogel is a promising candidate for the clinical treatment of full-thickness wounds.

Curdlan induces selective mast cell degranulation without concomitant release of LTC4, IL-6 or CCL2.

Mast cells are sentinel cells with a tissue-specific localization in the interface between the host and the external environment. Their quick and selective response upon encountering pathogens is part of the innate host response and typically initiates the following adaptive immune response. Among several pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) involved in the recognition of pathogens by mast cells, the C-type lectin receptor Dectin-1 has been associated with the recognition of fungi. Our previous studies have shown that mast cells are the predominant cell type expressing Dectin-1 in human skin, and they also recognize and respond to Malassezia sympodialis by producing cytokines connected to the innate host response and upregulating the expression of Dectin-1. In the present study, we investigated mast cell responses to Curdlan, a ß-glucan that acts as an agonist for the fungi receptor Dectin-1, and found a unique response pattern with induced degranulation, but surprisingly without synthesis of Leukotriene C4, IL-6 or CCL2. Since mast cells are the predominant Dectin-1 expressing cell in the human skin, this study suggests that mast cell degranulation in response to fungi is an important part of the first line of defense against these pathogens.

Characterization of curdlan produced by Agrobacterium sp. IFO 13140 cells immobilized in a loofa sponge matrix, and application of this biopolymer in the development of functional yogurt.

BACKGROUND: Agrobacterium sp. IFO 13140 cells were immobilized on a loofa sponge and used to produce curdlan over five successive cycles. The interaction between microbial cells and the loofa sponge as well as the produced curdlan were characterized by Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR) spectrometry. The purity of the curdlan was also evaluated. The storage stability of the immobilized cells was assessed and the produced curdlan was used in a functional yogurt formulation. RESULTS: The average curdlan production by immobilized cells was 17.84 g L(-1) . The presence of the microorganism in the sponge was confirmed and did not cause alterations in the matrix, and the chemical structure of the curdlan was the same as that of commercial curdlan. The purity of both was similar. The immobilized cells remained active after 300 days of storage at -18 °C. The use of the produced curdlan in a functional yogurt resulted in a product with lower syneresis. CONCLUSION: A large number of cells physically adhered to the surface of loofa sponge fibers, and its use as an immobilization matrix to produce curdlan was effective. The use of the produced curdlan in yogurt allowed the development of a more stable product. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Curdlan: an important microbial hydrocolloid / Goma curdlana: um importante hidrocolóide microbiano

The use of gums in the food industry is mainly based in its functional properties, which are related to the capacity to prevent or delay a series of physicals phenomenon, having an important role in the stability of many industrialized food. The use of these in the several food productions is indispensable, because they contribute to thickening, gelling, stabilization, suspension, film formation and gums can act as auxiliary agents of processing. Therefore, our objective was evaluated the chemistries physical properties, as well as, the areas of application of the microbial hydrocolloid, curdlan.

O uso das gomas na indústria de alimentos baseia-se principalmente no aproveitamento de suas propriedades funcionais, que estão relacionadas à capacidade de prevenir ou retardar uma série de fenômenos físicos, desempenhando papel importante na estabilidade de muitos alimentos industrializados. É indispensável o uso destas na produção de diversos produtos alimentícios, pois contribuem para o espessamento, gelificação, estabilização, suspensão, formação de filme e podem atuar como agentes auxiliares de processamento. Desta forma, o presente trabalho buscou avaliar as propriedades físico-químicas, bem como, as áreas de aplicação da goma curdlana que é um hidrocolóide de origem microbiana.

Curdlan: an important microbial hydrocolloid / Goma curdlana: um importante hidrocolóide microbiano

The use of gums in the food industry is mainly based in its functional properties, which are related to the capacity to prevent or delay a series of physicals phenomenon, having an important role in the stability of many industrialized food. The use of these in the several food productions is indispensable, because they contribute to thickening, gelling, stabilization, suspension, film formation and gums can act as auxiliary agents of processing. Therefore, our objective was evaluated the chemistries physical properties, as well as, the areas of application of the microbial hydrocolloid, curdlan.

O uso das gomas na indústria de alimentos baseia-se principalmente no aproveitamento de suas propriedades funcionais, que estão relacionadas à capacidade de prevenir ou retardar uma série de fenômenos físicos, desempenhando papel importante na estabilidade de muitos alimentos industrializados. É indispensável o uso destas na produção de diversos produtos alimentícios, pois contribuem para o espessamento, gelificação, estabilização, suspensão, formação de filme e podem atuar como agentes auxiliares de processamento. Desta forma, o presente trabalho buscou avaliar as propriedades físico-químicas, bem como, as áreas de aplicação da goma curdlana que é um hidrocolóide de origem microbiana.