ABSTRACT

We recently detected anti-β-glucan (BG) antibody, which was highly reactive and specific to fungal β-1,3- and β-1,6-BG in sera from human volunteers and DBA/1 and DBA/2 mice. In this study, we examined whether the anti-BG antibody exists in bovine serum and compared the reactivity to various BG fractions from medicinal and edible mushrooms. In experiments using polysaccharide-coated ELISA plates, normal bovine serum showed higher levels of reactivity to the hot water extract of Agaricus brasiliensis, AgHWE. The relative activity is comparable to Candida solubilized cell wall BG, CSBG. On the other hand, the sera weakly reacted to grifolan (GRN) from Grifola frondosa and sonifilan (SPG) from Schizophyllum commune. Furthermore, in a competive ELISA, this antibody cross-reacted to the β-1,6-glucan segment of CSBG and AgHWE. Anti-BG antibody plays a role in the recognition of BG and induces biological activity in collaboration with other recognition molecules, such as the β-glucan receptor. These facts strongly suggest that cows show β-glucan-specific immune response, and β-glucan from mushrooms are recognized and induce immunopharmacological activity in cows.