Imprime PGG Boosts Immune Cell FunctionWithout Inflammation

Imprime PGG Boosts Immune Cell FunctionWithout Inflammation

EAGAN, Minn.Yeast-derivedbeta-glucan (as Imprime PGG, from Biothera) stimulates immune cells withouteliciting pro-inflammatory cytokines, according to a study conducted at BrownUniversity and presented at this years Experimental Biology conference.

Murine and rat macrophages were pretreated with 10 mcg/mlbetaglucan for one hour and then stimulated. Levels of tumor necrosis factoralpha (TNF-a) message and protein were measured at 90 minutes and six hours,respectively. Cells pretreated with beta-glucan showed reduced levels of TNF-amessage and protein. In addition, a 55.6-percent reduction in luciferaseproduction was noted at four hours. The researchers concluded beta-glucanpretreatment may result in a repressive state capable of diminishing cytokinetranscription.

The results show the potential benefits of Imprime PGG asan immune enhancer, said Jonathan Reichner, one of the researchers involvedin the study. One of the drawbacks with pharmaceutical compounds designed tostimulate the immune system has been the side-effects associated withover-expression of certain cytokines that patients cannot tolerate. Imprime PGGis unique in its ability to prime immune cells without eliciting cytokines.