Effect of oral administration of beta-glucans derived from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 in model mice and rat with atopic dermatitis-like phenotypes

Abstract

In this study, we investigated the anti-atopic dermatitis (AD) activity of beta-glucans derived from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 (beta GdAP). beta GdAP was orally administered to AD animal models such as vasodilation, allergic pruritus and contact dermatitis. Administration of beta GdAP attenuated the amount of Evans blue solution on vasodilation rat. Scratching behaviors, secretion of histamine and ear thickness were significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated in the beta GdAP-treated mouse groups. Interestingly, transcriptional expression of T-bet, a transcription factor for Th1 reactions, was increased, but that of GATA-3, a transcription factor for Th2 reactions, was attenuated in the beta GdAP-treated groups (p < 0.05). In addition, we found that reduced transcriptional expression of forkhead box P3 and galectin-9, regulators of regulatory T cells, was recovered in the beta GdAP-treated groups (p < 0.05). Taken together, these data indicate that administration of beta GdAP could effectively attenuate AD-like phenotypes via regulation of Th1/Th2 transcriptional activity and Treg activation.