CONJUGATES OF TREMELLA POLYSACCHARIDES WITH MICROBEADS AND THEIR TNF-STIMULATING ACTIVITY

A mannan (A) and a heteroglycan (D) were prepared by partial acidic hy drolysis of T3, a major polysaccharide fraction of the fungus Tremella fuciformis Berk. Methylation analysis of A and D showed that they con tained a 1 --> linked mannosyl main chain, to which were linked differ ent side chains at positions 2, 4, or 6 of the mannosyl residues. A an d D were conjugated to albumin microbeads (AM) by reductive amination, The conjugates showed significant cytokine-stimulating activity in vi tro whereas unconjugated AM had no activity. Not conjugated A and D sh owed cytokine-stimulating activity only in about 100 times higher conc entrations.