Effects of a glyconutrient on macrophage functions

Previous studies have shown that mannosylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) e nhances the respiratory burst (RB), phagocytosis, and killing of Candida al bicans and Escherichia coli by resident murine peritoneal macrophages (M ph i). Upregulation of the above M phi functions was associated with the bindi ng of mBSA to the macrophage mannose receptor. The present study was done t o determine if certain glyconutrients could stimulate M phi functions in a similar manner. Resident peritoneal murine M phi collected from C57BL/6 mic e were exposed to the glyconutrients for 10 and 60 min. The RE was measured using chemiluminescence. Both phagocytosis and killing were measured after incubation with each of the following microorganisms: Candida albicans, Es cherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. The percent phagocytosis and kill ing were determined using fluorescence microscopy. Results indicated that c ertain glyconutrients, caused a dose and time dependent effect on M phi-ind uced killing of all three microorganisms. (C) 2000 International Society fo r Immunopharmacology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserve d.