PGG-Glucan [Betafectin
®], a highly purifie
d soluble
β-(1&n
dash;6)-branche
d β-(1&n
dash;3)-linke
d glucan isolate
d from
Saccharomyces cerevisiae, has broa
d in vitro an
d in vivo anti-infective activities unrelate
d to cytokine in
duction. Here we present
in vivo results on the anti-infective activity of PGG-Glucan against a multiple antibiotic resistant
Staphylococcus aureus. PGG-Glucan (0.25&n
dash;4 mg
![]()
der=0 SRC=/images/glyphs/BOW.GIF>kg) was a
dministere
d intramuscularly to male Wistar rats 48 h, 24 h, an
d 4 h before an
d 4 h after intraperitoneal implantation of a gelatin capsule containing 10
8 S. aureus colony forming units (CFU). Bloo
d samples were collecte
d at various times after challenge to
determine CFU levels, leukocyte counts an
d neutrophil oxi
dative burst activity; serum TNF-
α an
d IL-1
β levels were also evaluate
d. The 0.25 mg
![]()
der=0 SRC=/images/glyphs/BOW.GIF>kg PGG-Glucan
dose ha
d no effect on re
ducing bloo
d CFU levels; however, PGG-Glucan
doses of 0.5 mg
![]()
der=0 SRC=/images/glyphs/BOW.GIF>kg, 1 mg
![]()
der=0 SRC=/images/glyphs/BOW.GIF>kg, 2 mg
![]()
der=0 SRC=/images/glyphs/BOW.GIF>kg or 4 mg
![]()
der=0 SRC=/images/glyphs/BOW.GIF>kg significantly re
duce
d bloo
d CFU levels by 48 h after challenge. Re
duce
d CFU levels correlate
d with significantly elevate
d absolute monocyte counts, absolute neutrophil counts, an
d neutrophil oxi
dative burst activity in the absence of any effect on TNF-
α or on IL-1
β levels. In a
dditional stu
dies, effects on mortality an
d bloo
d CFU levels were evaluate
d in rats treate
d with ampicillin (an antibiotic to which the
S. aureus was resistant), PGG-Glucan, or both agents. Mortality an
d bloo
d CFU levels were re
duce
d most in combination-treate
d rats compare
d to saline control rats or rats treate
d with either ampicillin alone or PGG-Glucan alone. We conclu
de that
in vivo (1) PGG-Glucan can enhance clearance of an antibiotic resistant
S. aureus, (2) that this clearance is accompanie
d by an increase in monocytes an
d neutrophils as well as a potentiation of neutrophil oxi
dative microbioci
dal activity without alteration of the proinflammatory cytokine response, an
d (3) PGG-Glucan can enhance the effectiveness of tra
ditional antibiotic treatment.