Raman Spectroscopic Algorithms for Assessing Virulence in Oral Candidiasis: The Fight-or-Flight Response.

This study aimed to test the effectiveness of Raman spectroscopy in the characterization of the degrees of physiological stress and virulence in clinical swab samples collected from patients affected by oral candidiasis. Raman experiments were conducted on a series of eight isolates, both in an as-collected state and after biofilm purification followed by 3 days of culture. The outputs were matched to optical microscopy observations and the results of conventional chromogenic medium assays.

Effect of Royal Sun Medicinal Mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 (Agaricomycetes) Cultivated Outdoors on Wound Healing and Maintaining Skin Elasticity.

Royal sun medicinal mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 has various beneficial pharmacological effects; however, these effects are influenced by its cultivation conditions. A. brasiliensis KA21 is rich in β-glucan, which promotes wound healing.

Effects of Outdoor-Grown Royal Sun Medicinal Mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 (Agaricomycetes) Fruiting Body on Canine Malassezia Dermatitis.

Brazil-grown outdoor-cultivated Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 fruiting body (KA21) significantly increases the production of serum anti-beta-glucan antibody. Therefore, KA21 ingestion may be useful for the prevention and alleviation of fungal infections. This study aimed to determine the effects of KA21 in fungal infections in animals.

Development of a Highly Sensitive β-Glucan Detection System Using Scanning Single-Molecule Counting Method.

To overcome the limitations of the amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay method for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infection, we applied a reaction system combining recombinant β-glucan binding proteins and a scanning single-molecule counting (SSMC) method. A novel (1→3)-β-D-glucan recognition protein (S-BGRP) and a (1→6)-β-glucanase mutant protein were prepared and tested for the binding of (1→6)-branched (1→3)-β-D-glucan from fungi. S-BGRP and (1→6)-β-glucanase mutant proteins reacted with β-glucan from and spp.

Binding Specificity of a New Artificial β-Glucan Recognition Protein and Its Application to β-Glucan Detection in Mushroom Extracts.

β-1,3-D-glucan (BG) activates innate immunity and enhances immune responses. Fungi, such as mushrooms, produce a relatively large amount of BG, the structure and molecular weight of which varies depending on the species of fungi. This study was conducted to develop a detection probe for quantifying or detecting BG from fungi using BG-binding proteins.

Possibility of Japanese Cedar Pollen Causing False Positives in the Deep Mycosis Test.

Because Japanese cedar pollen (JCP) contains beta-1,3-d-glucan (BG), there is concern that its lingering presence in the atmosphere, especially during its scattering period, may cause false positives in the factor-G-based Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay used to test for deep mycosis (i.e., G-test).

Open-Label Study of the Influence of Food Containing the Royal Sun Mushroom, Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 (Agaricomycetes), on β-Glucan-Specific Antibody Production in Healthy Human Volunteers.

The edible mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis contains a large amount β-glucan, which is mainly composed of a β-1,6-glucan structure. In this study, we investigated the effect of A. brasiliensis strain KA21 on the anti-β-glucan antibody titer in healthy humans and the role of antibodies as an immunomodulator.

Quantification of Mushroom-Derived Soluble β-1,6-Glucan Using the Function-Modified Recombinant β-1,6-Glucanase.

Mushroom is one of the major sources of β-glucan used in medical applications and traditional therapies. Thus, structure analysis and quantification of β-glucan content is crucial to evaluate medicinal mushrooms. Most studies concerning mushroom-derived β-glucan have been focused on β-1,3-glucans.

Coronary Vasculitis Induced in Mice by Cell Wall Mannoprotein Fractions of Clinically Isolated Candida Species.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an inflammatory disease that was identified by Professor Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1961. Candida albicans-derived substances (CADS) such as the hot water extract of C. albicans and Candida water-soluble fractions (CAWS) induce coronary vasculitis similar to KD in mice.

Quantification of β-Glucan from Culinary-Medicinal Mushrooms Using Novel Artificial β-Glucan Recognition Protein.

(1->3)-β-D-glucans (BGs), found in culinary-medicinal mushrooms, exhibit an immunostimulatory effect; hence, it is important to measure the content of BGs contained in mushrooms. BGs content in a mushroom extract was measured using a recombinant BG-binding protein, supBGRP, and compared with the existing BG assay using BGs antibody. The specificity of supBGRP enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was evaluated using a commercially available polysaccharide reagent.

Outdoor-Cultivated Royal Sun Medicinal Mushroom Agaricus brasiliensis KA21 (Agaricomycetes) Reduces Anticancer Medicine Side Effects.

We investigated whether outdoor-cultivated Agaricus brasiliensis (KA21) could reduce the side effects caused by the anticancer medicine 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). The adverse effects of 5-FU were analyzed in mice by orally administering the drug every day for 5 days. Leukopenia, diarrhea, body weight loss, anorexia, kidney injury, gastrointestinal tract injury, and hair loss were evaluated as side effects.

Coronary Vasculitis Induced in Mice by the Cell Wall Mannoprotein of Candida krusei.

Kawasaki disease (KD) is an inflammatory disease that was identified by Professor Tomisaku Kawasaki in 1961. Candida albicans-derived substances, such as the hot water extract of C. albicans (CADS) and Candida water-soluble fraction (CAWS), induced coronary vasculitis similar to KD in mice.

N-Terminal (1→3)-β-d-Glucan Recognition Proteins from Insects Recognize the Difference in Ultra-Structures of (1→3)-β-d-Glucan.

Recognition of (1→3)-β-d-glucans (BGs) by invertebrate β-1,3-d-glucan recognition protein (BGRP) plays a significant role in the activation of Toll pathway and prophenoloxidase systems in insect host defense against fungal invasion. To examine the structure diversity of BGRPs for the recognition of physiochemically different BGs, the binding specificity of BGRPs cloned from four different insects to structure different BGs was characterized using ELISA. Recombinant BGRPs expressed as Fc-fusion proteins of human IgG1 bound to the solid phase of BGs.

Effects of EOD-1 Ingestion on Salivary IgA Reactivity and Health-Related Quality of Life in Humans.

EOD-1, a microalgal strain known for high yields of the β-1, 3-glucan paramylon, is suggested to function as a dietary fiber and enhance immunity. Here, we aimed to investigate the effects of EOD-1 biomass (EOD1BM) ingestion on immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibody titers in saliva, its reactivity, and the health-related quality of life (QOL) in humans. Reacting human immunoglobulin preparations and saliva with paramylon granules revealed the presence of anti-paramylon antibodies in the blood and saliva.

Solubilized melanin suppresses macrophage function.

Melanin-producing and are highly invasive and can suppress or escape the immune system of the host. Since non-melanin-producing strains do not affect the immune system, melanin may play a role in immune system suppression. Artificial melanin synthesized using conventional methods is insoluble, making structural and functional analysis of this chemical difficult.

Protection against Gut Inflammation and Sepsis in Mice by the Autodigested Product of the Lingzhi Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma lingzhi (Agaricomycetes).

Ganoderma lingzhi (reishi) (GL) is a widely used medicinal mushroom in the treatment of several diseases, including metabolic syndrome and cancer. We recently performed autodigestion of GL and found enhanced release of hypotensive peptides and immunomodulating beta-1,3-glucan. In the present study, we examined the protective effects of G.

The ATP Transporter VNUT Mediates Induction of Dectin-1-Triggered Candida Nociception.

Candida albicans infection can cause skin, vulvar, or oral pain. Despite the obvious algesic activity of C. albicans, the molecular mechanisms of fungal nociception remain largely unknown.

Amphiphobic Septa Enhance the Mechanical Stability of Free-Standing Bilayer Lipid Membranes.

Artificial bilayer lipid membranes (BLMs) provide well-defined systems for investigating the fundamental properties of membrane proteins, including ion channels, and for screening the effect of drugs that act on them. However, the application of this technique is limited due to the low stability and low reconstitution efficiency of the process. We previously reported on improving the stability of BLM based on the fabrication of microapertures having a tapered edge in SiO/SiN septa and efficient ion channel incorporation based on vesicle fusion accelerated by a centrifugal force.

Activation of macrophages by a laccase-polymerized polyphenol is dependent on phosphorylation of Rac1.

Various physiologically active effects of polymerized polyphenols have been reported. In this study, we synthesized a polymerized polyphenol (mL2a-pCA) by polymerizing caffeic acid using mutant Agaricus brasiliensis laccase and analyzed its physiological activity and mechanism of action. We found that mL2a-pCA induced morphological changes and the production of cytokines and chemokines in C3H/HeN mouse-derived resident peritoneal macrophages in vitro.

Mechanically stable solvent-free lipid bilayers in nano- and micro-tapered apertures for reconstitution of cell-free synthesized hERG channels.

The self-assembled bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) is the basic component of the cell membrane. The reconstitution of ion channel proteins in artificially formed BLMs represents a well-defined system for the functional analysis of ion channels and screening the effects of drugs that act on them. However, because BLMs are unstable, this limits the experimental throughput of BLM reconstitution systems.

Immunoreactivity of the Cold Water Extract of Royal Sun Culinary-Medicinal Mushroom, Agaricus brasiliensis Strain KA21 (Agaricomycetes), Assessed by Immunoglobulin Preparations for Intravenous Injection.

The royal sun medicinal mushroom, Agaricus brasiliensis, is a health food material that helps to improve quality of life. A. brasiliensis has long been used as a tea by extraction with cold and hot water.

[Preparation and Biological Characterization of Limulus Factor G-activating Substance of Aspergillus spp.].

Aspergillus is a medically important fungal genus that causes a life-threatening infection known as aspergillosis in immunocompromised patients. β-1,3-Glucan is detected in the plasma of patients with aspergillosis and appears to be useful for the diagnosis of aspergillosis. In this study, we cultured Aspergillus spp.

Production of low-molecular weight soluble yeast β-glucan by an acid degradation method.

β-glucan is widely distributed in nature as water soluble and insoluble forms. Both forms of β-glucan are utilized in several fields, especially for functional foods. Yeast β-glucan is a medically important insoluble particle.