DEPENDENCE ON CHAIN-LENGTH OF ANTI-TUMOR ACTIVITY OF (1-]3)-BETA-D-GLUCAN FROM ALCALIGENES-FAECALIS VAR MYXOGENES, IFO 13140, AND ITS ACID-DEGRADED PRODUCTS

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 38  (2) , 379-383
Abstract
The well-defined (1 .fwdarw. 3)-.beta.-D-glucan with .**GRAPHIC**. 540, produced by cultivation of A. faecalis var. myxogenes (IFO 13140), a mutant of a soil bacterium, had marked inhibitory activity against the s.c.-implanted sarcoma 180 at 5-50 mg/gk for 10 days. It also exhibited high activity in doses of 60 and 100 mg/kg i.p. by a single injection at 7 days after the initial s.c. transplantation of sarcoma 180. The inhibition ratios observed with Ehrlich carcinoma, NTF (Nakahara-Tokuzen-Fukuoka) reticulum cell sarcoma and CCM adenocarcinoma were somewhat less but still significant. Treatment failed to inhibit the growth of ascites sarcoma 180 or induce prolongation of life span. The mechanism of action of this glucan was considered to be host mediated because of a lack of effect in vitro and also because of the effectiveness of pretreatment of animals by injection before transplantation of a tumor. The results from the bioassay study of the lower molecular weight (1 .fwdarw. 3)-.beta.-D-glucans prepared from the glucan with number-average degrees of polymerization .**GRAPHIC**. 540 by hydrolysis with formic acid or sulfuric acid showed that the glucans with .**GRAPHIC**. > 50 inhibited growth of sarcoma 180 implanted s.c. in mice, whereas the result of the schedule-dependent effect was obtained in pretreatment of animals by the glucan with .**GRAPHIC**. 50. By i.v. administration, even the glucan with .**GRAPHIC**. 16 showed a strong antitumor effect comparable to that of the glucan with .**GRAPHIC**. 540.