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This study investigated the effects of the addition of konjac glucomannan (KGM), curdlan (CD), carrageenan (CA), and sodium alginate (SA) on fibrous structure formation in surimi-based meat analogs to livestock meat. Meat analogs were prepared using high-moisture extrusion with Alaskan pollock surimi and soy protein isolate at a ratio of 7:3 (w/w). The meat analogs samples were labeled as SSP. Macrostructure observation showed that the best fibrous structure was obtained in SSP containing 2% SA. Mesostructure and microstructure observations revealed that 2% CD, CA or SA promoted the formation of a less tight three-dimensional network structure, which contributed to the formation of fiber filaments. Increased β-sheet structure content, ordered degree, fractal dimension and thermal stability were observed in SSP with the three colloids. Moreover, fibrous texture was closely associated with the thermal stability and fractal dimension. This study has provided useful information for colloid application in surimi-based meat analogs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Rabbit meat, recognized for its nutritional value, is gaining global attention. However, the inferior functional properties of rabbit myofibrillar proteins lead to quality degradation during the production process. Glycosylation represents an effective method for enhancing protein functionality. This study investigated the glycosylation modification of rabbit myofibrillar proteins. The results demonstrated that solubility of glucose-glycosylated products increased by 34 %, while the reduction capacity improved from 0.15 mg/mL to 1.6 mg/mL. The·OH free radical scavenging ability increased from 63.94 % to 94.21 %. β-Glucan-glycosylated products exhibited the highest thermal stability, and their DPPH free radical scavenging rate increased from 19.68 % to 76.21 %. Glycosylation also induced changes in protein conformation, characterized by a 10-30 °C increase in thermal denaturation peak temperature, gradual attenuation of endogenous fluorescence intensity, gradual enhancement of λ max redshift, and a 30-40 % decrease in surface hydrophobicity. Molecular docking simulations revealed that the primary interactions between glucose, lactose, and β-Glucan with myofibrillar proteins involve hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. In conclusion, glycosylation can effectively improve the functional properties of proteins, contributing to the development and production of high-quality, stable, and nutritious rabbit meat products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Endo-β-1,3-glucanase (β-1,3-GA) is a key enzyme capable of acting on the β-1,3-glycosidic bond of β-1,3-glucan, resulting in the production of β-1,3-gluco-oligosaccharides with higher water solubility. Higher temperatures are beneficial for curdlan hydrolysis; however, low enzymatic activity and thermal stability limit their applicability. In this study, a mutant library of Endo-β-1,3-glucanase (AC-GA) derived from Alkalihalobacillus clausii KSM-K16 was constructed by a semi-rational design using amino-acid-based multiple sequence alignment and protein structure-based computer-aided engineering. The best combination mutant (S52T/M120L) was screened through ordered recombination mutations, which showed a 24.88 % increase in specific enzyme activity over the wild-type. The melting temperature (Tm) value, an enzyme protein denaturation temperature, was raised to 82.99 °C from 78.60 of the wild type. In comparison, the K m for hydrolysis of curdlan by S52T/M120L was reduced by 12.1 %, while the k cat was increased by 59.39 %, thus leading to a higher catalytic efficiency (k cat /K m , 227.73 vs 125.46 mL·s -1 ·mg -1 ). Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that mutations resulted in a reduction in the overall flexibility of the enzyme, an increase in rigidity, and a more stable structure. An increase in the hydrophobic network at the entrance of the substrate increases the accessibility of the substrate to the enzyme, resulting in increased enzyme activity. High-efficiency mutants have potential industrial applications in the enzymatic preparation of β-1,3-gluco-oligosaccharides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors confirm that they have no conflicts of interest with respect to the work described in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The ability of some cationic pullulan (TMAP x -P) and curdlan (TMAP 0.4 -C) derivative to remove different fungicide particles from synthetic wastewater has been studied. Commercial fungicides formulations of different type, Bordeaux mixture (BM), Dithan M45 (Dt) and Melody Compact49 WG (MC) have been used. The influence of some parameters related to the dispersion characteristics (suspension pH and salinity) and the polysaccharide derivatives (polymer dose, the ionic groups content, flexibility) on the separation process have been assessed. All the polysaccharide samples revealed a good removal efficiency (RE%) for the fungicide formulations prepared in saltless aqueous solutions, namely between 94 and 98 % for BM, 81.5-85 % for Dt, 88-91 % for MC. Slightly higher residual fungicides absorbance percent values for the suspensions prepared in the presence of salts (up to 7 %) than those prepared in water have been noticed. Less amount of BM and MC particles were removed in acidic pH than in water and basic pH, while contrary results were recorded in case of Dt ones, irrespective of the flocculant used. However, the RE% values were located between 79 % and 98 % over the entirely suspension pH investigated. Both zeta potential and floc size measurements indicated the charge patch flocculation mechanism for the fungicide particles separation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The structural and chemical diversity of β-glucans is reflected on the variety of essential biological roles tackled by these polysaccharides. This natural heterogeneity requires an elaborate assortment of enzymatic mechanisms to assemble, degrade or modify, as well as to extract their full biotechnological potential. Recent metagenomic efforts have provided an unprecedented growth in potential new biocatalysts, most of which remain unconfirmed or uncharacterized. Here we report the first biochemical and structural characterization of two bacterial β-glucanases from the recently created glycoside hydrolase family 157 (LaGH157 and BcGH157) and investigate their molecular basis for substrate hydrolysis. Structural analysis by X-ray crystallography revealed that GH157 enzymes belong to clan GH-A, possessing a (β/α) 8 -barrel fold catalytic domain, two β-sandwich accessory domains and two conserved catalytic glutamates residues, with relative positions compatible with a retaining mechanism of hydrolysis. Specificity screening and enzyme kinetics suggest that the enzymes prefer mixed-linkage glucans over β-1,3-glucans. Activity screening showed that both enzymes exhibit pH optimum at 6.5 and temperature optimum for LaGH157 and BcGH157 at 25 °C and 48 °C, respectively. Product analysis with HPAEC-PAD and LC-MS revealed that both enzymes are endo-1,3(4)-β-glucanases, capable of cleaving β-1,3 and β-1,4-linked glucoses, when preceded by a β-1,3 linkage. Moreover, BcGH157 needs a minimum of 4 subsites occupied for hydrolysis to occur, while LaGH157 only requires 3 subsites. Additionally, LaGH157 possesses exohydrolytic activity on β-1,3 and branching β-1,6 linkages. This unusual bifunctional endo-1,3(4)/exo-1,3-1,6 activity constitutes an expansion on our understanding of β-glucan deconstruction, with the potential to inspire future applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Catarina Caseiro reports financial support was provided by Foundation for Science and Technology. Carlos M.G.A. Fontes reports a relationship with NZYTech Lda that includes: board membership and employment. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Yeast β-glucan (YBG), an indigestible polysaccharide from yeast cell walls, is multifunctional. It plays a pivotal role in regulating gut microbiota (GM) and boosting the immune system, which is central to research on inflammation, cancer, and metabolic diseases. By modulating the GM, YBG exhibits various prebiotic effects, including hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, and immune-regulating properties. Additionally, acting as a bioreactor modulator, it activates immune responses, demonstrating potential in anti-infection and anticancer applications. This article synthesizes the latest data from in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. It comprehensively evaluates the therapeutic potential of YBG, starting from its structure-function relationship. It particularly focuses on the application prospects of yeast β-glucan in probiotic-like effects, anti-infectious properties, and anti-cancer activity, and explores the underlying mechanisms of these actions. The aim of this article is to elucidate the positive impact of YBG on health by modulating the gut microbiota and enhancing immune responses. Simultaneously, it identifies critical areas for future research to provide theoretical support for its development in biomedical applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, by using molecular dynamics simulations, we elucidate the effect of sulfation substitution on the stability of the curdlan triple helix structure. The simulation results indicate that the stability of the triple helix structure is significantly influenced by the sites of sulfation substitution. The substitution at the O 2 site directly disrupts the hydrogen bonding network between the triple helix chains, significantly destroying the triple helix conformation. When substitutions occur at both the O 4 and O 6 sites simultaneously (O 4,6 ), the electrostatic repulsion between numerous sulfate groups introduces considerable energy perturbation to the triple helix, leading to alterations in the glucan chain conformation and consequent destabilization of the triple helix structure. Meanwhile, we find that even if the sulfation substitution is performed at the same substitution sites, the difference in the degree of substitution also has an impact on the triple helix stability. The resistance of the triple helix to sulfation substitution at O 2 is weak, and low degree of substitution can lead to the unwinding of the triple helix. However, it demonstrates higher resistance to substitution at O 4,6 where only higher degree of substitution results in triple helix destabilization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

To improve the gelling properties of konjac glucomannan/curdlan (KGM/CUD) composite hydrogels, KGM/CUD composite hydrogels were treated by freeze-thawing. Herein, we focus on the effects of freeze-thaw cycles, freezing temperature, and freezing time on the structural and mechanical properties of KGM/CUD composite hydrogels. SEM and SAXS results showed that ice crystals generated by freezing extruded the molecular chains and increased the cross-linking density between molecular chains, which resulted in a denser gel microstructure. Among them, the freeze-thaw treatment at -20 °C for 12 h can effectively reduce the correlation length (ξ). According to mechanical testing, freeze-thawed gels for 48 h reached 408-, 826-, and 840-fold of the hardness, gumminess and chewiness of unfrozen, respectively. After freeze-thaw treatment, the energy storage modulus (G') of the gel increased to 9872 Pa, the residual mass after heating was up to 27.9 %, the water holding capacity (WHC) was reduced to 80.85 %. In addition, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance results confirmed that the freeze-thaw treatment promoted the formation of ice crystals from water molecules, which realized the transition of the water state, thus reducing the water mobility of the gel. This study provides a facile and efficient strategy for designing hydrogels products with exceptional texture and sensory characteristics., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest in the publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Hydrogels composed of polysaccharides and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are widely recognized for their applications in wound dressings, particularly for healing wounds prone to infection. Traditional methods for preparing AgNPs immersed hydrogels are often complex, costly, and may lead to sustained cytotoxicity. To address these challenges, we developed a biocompatible, one-step green reduction strategy to generate AgNPs within hydrogels using a triple-helix β-glucan (PCPA) derived from Poria cocos, a renowned Chinese traditional herb. PCPA serves as a reducing agent, converting silver ions into AgNPs while its triple-helix conformation prevents AgNPs aggregation. The resulting hydrogel (PAg-G) is injectable and contains uniformly distributed AgNPs. PAg-G exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity and enhanced bioactivity. The in vivo study on S.aureus-infected SD rats demonstrated that PAg-G can accelerate wound healing within 12 days by down-regulating inflammatory factors such as IL-6 and TNF-α, and up-regulating VEGF and CD31 expression, promoting neovascularization in wound tissues. This innovative one-step construction of AgNPs immersed hydrogels offers a promising approach for the development of antimicrobial hydrogels, especially for treating bacterial-infected wounds., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest to the manuscript titled “One-step Construction of Silver Nanoparticles Immersed Hydrogels by Triple-helix β-glucans and the Application in Infectious Wound Healing” submitted to International Journal of Biological Macromolecules., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this investigation, we aimed to engineer sponges with exceptional mechanical and hemostatic capabilities for effective wound healing. By combining collagen, a stiff fibril protein in ECM, with β-glucan, an elastic and triple-helical polysaccharide from yeast cell wall, we prepared a series of composite sponges, designated as CY sponges. This material exhibited a uniform pore structure, displaying enhanced elasticity and shape recovery ability compared to pure collagen sponges. Also, the incorporation of Yeast β-glucan (YG) significantly improved the fluid absorption ability and stability of the sponges. In vitro hemostasis tests demonstrated that the CY sponges exhibited a notably lower in vitro coagulation index (19.21 %) compared to the collagen control (64.84 %), accompanied by superior erythrocyte (64.64 %) and platelet (64.95 %) adhesion properties. Animal studies further substantiated the sponge's hemostatic efficacy, as CY40 led to a reduction in average bleeding volume by 25.26 % and 28.97 %, and a shorter hemostatic time by 31.70 % and 30.77 % compared to collagen, indicating accelerated wound healing. These findings suggest that the addition of yeast β-glucan into collagen sponges can improve their elasticity, shape recovery ability, hemostatic performance and wound repair ability., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The management of brewery waste, particularly waste brewer's yeast, has posed a significant environmental and economic challenge. This study proposed an approach to valorize waste brewer's yeast by extracting β-glucan. The key phases of the research included yeast autolysis, alkaline treatment and optimization of the β-glucan purification conditions. The findings revealed that a 0.7 % NaOH concentration at 80 °C for 2.6 h was the most effective for impurity removal. In the comparative analysis, it was confirmed that extraction at 80 % DMSO concentration with a 30:1 solid-liquid ratio at 80 °C for 30 min was the optimal condition for obtaining high-purity β-glucan. The process yielded a β-glucan high purity of 95.84 ± 1.15 % and a yield of 5.56 ± 0.34 % based on the wet weight after centrifugation. The structure was analyzed using TLC, FTIR and NMR. The extracts are polysaccharides composed of glucose monomers linked by β-glycosidic bonds. In addition, It has demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory properties in vitro and can be developed as a functional food. This study provides a feasible and efficient solution for the sustainable utilization of waste brewer's yeast, contributing to environmental sustainability and offering economic benefits for the brewing industry., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The study examined the effects of oat β-glucan (OβG), chitosan (CTS), araboxylan (AX), and fructosan (FOS) on wheat dough formation. Adding 0-7 % OβG, AX, and FOS increased SS content, enhancing gluten stability. D-AX and D-FOS showed higher β-sheet structures, higher air retention and gluten network, smaller pores and denser structures, higher elastic and viscosity moduli. Excessive OβG and CTS could reduce the dough stability, and β-turn and β-sheet ratios, respectively. Therefore, B-7AX and B-7FOS exhibited lower hardness indices during storage, leading to a smoother appearance and more orderly gas chamber distribution. The study provides a theoretical foundation for using non-starch polysaccharides in flour-based products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Developing highland barley products is complex, possibly due to the presence of β-glucan in highland barley. This study aims to investigate the impact of β-glucan on the physicochemical properties, microstructure, and molecular interactions of highland barley starch (HBS) during gelatinization and aging. Increasing the β-glucan content significantly reduced peak viscosity, setback viscosity, and breakdown viscosity, indicating altered gelatinization behavior. The β-glucan content increase caused a significant drop in peak viscosity. With 20% β-glucan addition, it reduced by 883 mPa·s, nearly 38%. Rheological analysis showed a transition from a solid-like to a liquid-like texture or quality, ultimately leading to a shear-thinning behavior. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirmed the interaction between HBS and β-glucan via intermolecular hydrogen bonding, promoting the formation of double helical structures in starch. These findings provide a deeper understanding of the role of β-glucan in the processing of highland barley, highlighting its influence on the starch's properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A comparative analysis of chemical, functional, and digestive parameters was conducted on five new barley genotypes designed for food purposes, differing in starch type, β-glucans, and arabinoxylan content. Both whole and pearled grain flours were examined. Amylose exhibited positive correlations with least gelation capacity (r = 0.60), gelation temperature (r = 0.90), and resistant starch (r = 0.80). Waxy varieties showed greater water-holding capacity, viscosity, and rapid digestibility compared to normal and high-amylose varieties. Pearling (10%) decreased arabinoxylans by 48% and proteins by 7%, while increasing β-glucans by 8% and starch by 13%. Additionally, pearling improved viscosity and hydration parameters across varieties. This allowed normal and high-amylose genotypes to enhance their functional properties and nutritional value through increased β-glucan and resistant starch content. This exploration advances the understanding of barley's functional attributes for food industry and underscores the potential of pearling to augment consumer nutritional value and health-promoting properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no relevant conflicts of interest related to the results presented in this article. The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Barley is an important source of sustainable diets for humans, while its brans is commonly disposed as wastes. The recycling of barley brans has become a key for facilitating the valorization of barley as a whole to achieve its sustainable development. This review summarized the value of barley brans as an excellent source of multiple functional components (phenolic compounds, β-glucan, and arabinoxylan), which conferred extensive health benefits to barley brans mainly including antioxidant, anti-obesity and lipid-lowering, anti-diabetic, and hepatoprotective properties. The utilization of barley brans reflected a great potential for sustainable development. Exploiting of food products and edible films containing barley brans or their bioactive compounds and non-food applications (preparation of bioactive substances, laccase enzymes, and biosorbents) have been attempted for supporting the zero-waste concept and circular economy. Considering their diverse applications, effective extraction techniques of bioactive compounds from barley brans and their safety are the priority of future research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study investigated the effects of two forms of curdlan, namely curdlan thermoreversibility (CT) and curdlan powder (CP), on in vitro digestion and viscoelastic properties of myofibrillar protein (MP). As the level of curdlan (0.1-0.5%) increased, pepsin digestibility and pancreatin digestibility significantly decreased, active sulfhydryl group also decreased, while surface hydrophobicity and total sulfhydryl groups increased. Meanwhile, curdlan enhanced the secondary and tertiary structures of MP. As the pepsin digest, α-helix gradually transformed into random coil. Furthermore, the viscosity, storage modulus (G") and loss modulus (G') increased with the CT or CP addition. After in vitro digestion, the viscoelasticity significantly decreased with a dose-response. Molecular dynamics simulations showed hydrogen bond formation (2.86 on average) between MP and curdlan contributing to reduced radius of gyration and solvent accessible surface area. Overall, this study highlighted curdlan as a promising ingredient to modulate structural properties and digestibility of MP, especially in pre-hydrated (CT) groups., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All of the contributing authors declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

In this study, a porous polydopamine (PDA) nanoparticle-decorated β-glucan microcapsules (GMs) nanoplatform (PDA/GMs) were developed with macrophage-targeted biomimetic features and a carriers-within-carriers structure. Indocyanine green (ICG) and catalase (CAT) were subsequently co-encapsulated within the PDA/GMs to create a multifunctional nanotherapeutic agent, termed CIPGs. Furthermore, CIPGs and sinomenine (SIN) were co-loaded within a thermo-sensitive hydrogel to design an injectable delivery system, termed CIPG/SH, with potential for multi-modal therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Photothermal studies indicated that the CIPGs hold excellent photothermal conversion ability and thermal stability, as they combined the photothermal performance of both PDA and ICG. Meanwhile, the CIPGs displayed favorable oxygen self-supplying and photodynamic performance. The CIPGs showed near-infrared (NIR)-induced phototoxicity, effectively inhibiting macrophage proliferation and displaying remarkable antibacterial activity. In vitro drug release from the prepared CIPG/SH showed a controlled release pattern. Animal experiments conducted on an RA mice model confirmed that the formulated CIPG/SH exhibited significant therapeutic effects. By integrating the biological advantages, photothermal/photodynamic performance of the CIPGs, and controlled drug release performance of the thermo-sensitive hydrogels in a single delivery system, the prepared injectable CIPG/SH represents a novel versatile delivery system with great potential for multi-modal combination targeting therapy in RA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Natural polysaccharide-based active-ingredient carriers have been a source of great concern for a long time. In order to explore potential antibiotics and probiotics carriers, a novel injectable chondroitin sulfate/salecan (CS) hydrogel was constructed by forming dynamic hydrazone bonds. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), bacteriostatic test, and rheological experiments were used to investigate the chemical structure, inherent morphology, and enzymatic corruption of the hydrogel in vitro. The resulting hydrogels exhibited ideal probiotics loading capacity, drug release behavior, excellent antimicrobial activity and variable properties. Crucially, owing to its exceptional biocompatibility and reversible crosslinking network, this hydrogel can function as a three-dimensional extracellular matrix for cells, enabling cells to maintain high vitality and proliferation, and promote wound healing. The aforementioned findings indicated that this novel hydrogel can be a promising candidate as an active-ingredient carrier and scaffold material for tissue engineering., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Oat β-(1 → 3, 1 → 4)-d-glucan (OBG), a linear polysaccharide primarily found in oat bran, has been demonstrated to possess immunomodulatory properties and regulate gut microbiota. This study aimed to investigate the impact of low molecular weight (Mw) OBG (155.2 kDa) on colonic injury and allergic symptoms induced by food allergy (FA), and to explore its potential mechanism. In Experiment 1, results indicated that oral OBG improved colonic inflammation and epithelial barrier, and significantly relieved allergy symptoms. Importantly, the OBG supplement altered the gut microbiota composition, particularly increasing the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and its genera, and promoted the production of short-chain fatty acids, especially butyrate. However, in Experiment 2, the gut microbial depletion eliminated these protective effects of OBG on the colon in allergic mice. Further, in Experiment 3, fecal microbiota transplantation and sterile fecal filtrate transfer directly validated the role of OBG-mediated gut microbiota and its metabolites in relieving FA and its induced colonic injury. Our findings suggest that low Mw OBG can alleviate FA-induced colonic damage by increasing Lachnospiraceae abundance and butyrate production, and provide novel insights into the health benefits and mechanisms of dietary polysaccharide intervention for FA., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Traditional fungi β-glucan commonly possesses high molecular weight with poor water solubility, which remains significant challenge in the drug development and medical application. Water-soluble β-glucan with high molecular weight (dHSCG) of 560 kDa, low molecular weight (dLSCG) of 60 kDa, and sulfated derivative (SCGS) with a molecular weight of 146 kDa and sulfate degree at 2.04 were obtained through well-controlled degradation and sulfated modification from Saccharomyces cerevisiae in this study. The structural characteristics were confirmed as β-1,3/6-glucan by FT-IR and NMR spectroscopy. Carbohydrate microarrays and surface plasmon resonance revealed distinct and contrasting binding affinities between the natural β-glucans and sulfated derivatives. SCGS exhibited strong binding to FGF and VEGF, while natural β-glucan showed no response, suggesting its potential as a novel antitumor agent. Moreover, SCGS significantly inhibited the migration rate of the highly metastatic melanoma (B16F10) cells. The lung metastasis mouse model also demonstrated that SCGS significantly reduced and eliminated the nodules, achieving an inhibition rate of 86.7% in vivo, with a dramatic improvement in IFN-α, TNF-α, and IL-1β levels. Through analysis of protein content and distribution in lung tissues, the anti-tumor and anti-metastasis mechanism of SCGS involves the regulation of degrading enzymes to protect extracellular matrix (ECM), as well as the reduction of angiogenic factor release. These findings provide a foundation for exploring the potential of SCGS in the development of new anti-tumor and anti-metastasis drugs and open up a new field in cancer research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hypothesis: Elucidation of the micro-mechanisms of sol-gel transition of gelling glucans with different glycosidic linkages is crucial for understanding their structure-property relationship and for various applications. Glucans with distinct molecular chain structures exhibit unique gelation behaviors. The disparate gelation phenomena observed in two methylated glucans, methylated (1,3)-β-d-glucan of curdlan (MECD) and methylated (1,4)-β-d-glucan of cellulose (MC), notwithstanding their equivalent degrees of substitution, are intricately linked to their unique molecular architectures and interactions between glucan and water., Experiments: Density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulations focused on the electronic property distinctions between MECD and MC, alongside conformational variations during thermal gelation. Inline attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy tracked secondary structure alterations in MECD and MC. To corroborate the simulation results, additional analyses including circular dichroism, rheology, and micro-differential scanning calorimetry were performed., Findings: Despite having similar thermally induced gel networks, MECD and MC display distinct physical gelation patterns and molecular-level conformational changes during gelation. The network of MC gel was formed via a "coil-to-ring" transition, followed by ring stacking. In contrast, the MECD gel comprised compact irregular helices accompanied by notable volume shrinkage. These variations in gelation behavior are ascribed to heightened hydrophobic interactions and diminished hydrogen bonding in both systems upon heating, resulting in gelation. These findings provide valuable insights into the microstructural changes during gelation and the thermo-gelation mechanisms of structurally similar polysaccharides., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

In this study, the upstream and downstream production processes of curdlan from Priestia megaterium were optimized to enhance its yield. Additionally, a novel extraction method was developed for curdlan recovery. Optimization studies were conducted using Central composite design (CCD). Curdlan yield improved from 0.15 g/L (unoptimized) to 0.46 g/L (3-fold increase) when fermentation was carried out in CCD-optimized media of (w/v) sucrose 20%, urea 0.1%, KH 2 PO 4 0.02%, agitation speed 250 rpm. To further enhance curdlan yield during extraction, ultrasonication was incorporated as a novel step into the conventional method of acid/alkali-assisted curdlan recovery. A two-step optimization was chosen for extraction, namely, one-factor-at-a-time (OFAT) and CCD, wherein the optimized extraction parameters were determined to be 25 s sonication, 1 N NaOH, and 2 h solubilization time. The curdlan yield improved by 1.5-fold (0.70 g/L) post optimization, in comparison with unoptimized conventional extraction step. Finally, the biopolymer was validated through characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) which showed characteristic curdlan spectra in the 13 C and 1 H NMR studies. To the best of our knowledge, this study represents the first documented report on curdlan extraction using this novel method of ultrasonication., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Cellulose aerogel, recognized for its eco-friendliness, bio-sustainability and excellent thermal insulation property, holds immense potential as an insulation material. However, the application of cellulose aerogel has been hindered by its inherent drawbacks, particularly its low strength and flammability. In this study, a reactive P/N-rich curdlan derivative (NT) was synthesized and characterized. Lightweight, ultrahigh-strength and flame-retardant composite aerogels were then prepared by slow freezing, freeze-drying and chemical crosslinking methods. Composite aerogel crosslinked with 30% NT exhibited exceptional thermal insulation property with a low thermal conductivity of 33.9 mW/(m·K), which rivaled the value of petroleum-based thermal insulation materials. It possessed an ultrahigh compressive modulus (0.786 MPa) at low density (21.6 mg/cm 3 ), which supported >12,000 times its weight. It also displayed superior flame-retardant property, with a limiting oxygen index of up to 33.1% and a V-0 rating in the UL-94 test. This study provides a new insight into the high-value utilization of natural polysaccharide and an innovative solution to the problem of low strength and flammability of cellulose aerogel. Cellulose aerogels with ultrahigh strength, superior flame retardancy and thermal insulation property possess a promising application in the fields of construction, aerospace and thermal protective clothing as high-performance thermal insulation materials., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The early intervention of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) is crucial for improving the survival of patients with gastric cancer. Traditional pharmaceuticals for the treatment of PLGC are limited by side effects, thus developing innovative drug carrier that are more efficient but without the undesirable side effects is required. Here, we proposed an acid-triggered mushroom-derived β-glucan carrier embedding doxorubicin (DOX) to circumvent drug cytotoxicity and synergistically alleviate PLGC based on the controlled conformational transformation. The triple helix β-glucan extracted from Dictyophora rubrovolvata (DRP) loaded doxorubicin driven by pH and DMSO regulation, forming two rattan ball-like nanoparticles (DRP-DOX(pH) and DRP-DOX(DMSO)) via its collapse and recombination of triple-helix conformation. The findings revealed that DRP-DOXs achieved acid-triggerable and sustained drug delivery with an average particle size of 500 nm and 550 nm. In vitro evaluation of GES-1 cells showed DRP-DOXs reduced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and altered mitochondrial membrane potential. Compared to DRP-DOX(DMSO) and DRP, DRP-DOX(pH) could more effectively downregulate cellular oxidative stress and inflammation to eventually alleviate PLGC, by regulating the p53 and PI3K pathways to mitigate gastric mucosa damage. Consequently, the nature-derived β-glucan delivery nanovesicle holds great promising applications in reducing drug toxicity and suppressing the development of PLGC., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study aimed to explore the contribution of untreated (UtβG) and modified oat 1,4-β-D-glucan (OzβG) to the quality of gluten-free chapattis at varying concentrations (0, 1.5, 3, and 4.5 % labelled as M 0 , M 1 , M 2 and M 3 for maize chapattis and F 0 , F 1 , F 2 and F 3 for finger millet chapattis, respectively). The functionality of flours was significantly enhanced by the addition of UtβG and OzβG. However, OzβG incorporated flour exhibited a more pronounced influence on both functional and farinographic parameters when compared to flours with UtβG. Further, the hardness of the chapattis decreased with incorporation of OzβG and it was lowest for M 2 and F 2 i.e. 6.38 N and 5.27 N, respectively due to the formation of more carboxyl and hydroxyl groups, which had more affinity towards water molecules. The sensory analysis indicated that OzβG incorporated M 2 and F 2 chapattis exhibited the highest overall acceptability. Hence, this study provides valuable insights into the utilization of UtβG and OzβG for the formulation of gluten-free chapattis with better dough characteristics and chapatti-making properties., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors have no conflict to declare., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Lentinus β-D-glucan (LNT), derived from artificially cultured mushrooms of Lentinus edodes, shows an important yet incompletely understood biological functions in cancer. In this work, the chemical structure of the refined LNT comprising a β-D-(1, 6)-branched β-D-(1,3)-glucan was further clarified via 1D- and 2D-NMR with high resolution, and its drug resistance resulted from autophagy in human cervical cancer (CC) Hela cells besides its anti-cancer function were revealed in vitro and in vivo. In detail, LNT destroyed cellular homeostasis by significantly increasing the intracellular Ca 2+ levels and promoted autophagic flux in vitro Hela cells, which was found to at least partially depend on the PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated pathway by up-regulating LC3-II levels and down-regulating the expression of p62, PI3K, p-Akt, and mTOR in Hela cells-transplanted BALB/c nude mice. In particular, LNT-induced autophagy led to a drug resistance against LNT-induced proliferation inhibition and apoptosis in Hela cells, and the co-treatment of autophagy inhibitors and LNT significantly enhanced the inhibition of Hela cells and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. Therefore, the combination of LNT and autophagy inhibitors will be a novel therapeutic strategy to reduce the resistance and improve the prognosis of CC patients in the clinical., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Recently, more and more evidences suggest that β-glucans can induce trained immunity and non-specific protections against pathogens. However, most of the reports evaluated the immunological activities of β-glucans through injection route but no nasal inhalation. In this study, the effects of curdlan sulfate-based nanoparticles, CS/O-HTCC on trained immunity through intranasal administration were evaluated., Methods: Macrophages were treated with CS/O-HTCC and the metabolisms of the macrophages were detected. Mice were intranasal administered with CS/O-HTCC for 3 times with a 14 days interval, then the antitumor or infection prevention effects were assessed., Results: In vitro, CS/O-HTCC enhanced the macrophage metabolism significantly through upregulating glycolysis (26.1 ± 4.3 mpH/min) and oxidative phosphorylation (36.0 ± 9.0 pmol/min) compared with that of negative group (7.5 ± 2.3 mpH/min and 19.5 ± 4.9 pmol/min). In vivo, CS/O-HTCC inhibited lung metastasis of B16F10 tumor cells and improved the survival time (26.5 days) of the nmice compared with negative group (19.5 days). Moreover, CS/O-HTCC prevented the lung infections by Escherichia coli or Streptococcus pneumoniae (less bacterial residual) and reduced lung damages., Conclusions: CS/O-HTCC can induce trained immunity through enhancing the metabolism of macrophages and enhance the non-specific protection against pathogens through intranasal immunization., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Adsorbent materials constructed from natural macromolecular products are favored because of their wide range of sources, biodegradability, and environmental friendliness. Salecan is a novel extracellular polysaccharide with ideal physicochemical and biological activities. Here, we have designed a polymer gel through UV-initiated polymerization of [2-(Methacryloyloxy) ethyl] dimethyl-(3-sulfopropyl) ammonium hydroxide (SBMA) in the mixture of salecan and tannic acid. Photopatterned polymerization process allowed in situ formation of gel adsorbent in a mild reaction condition with energy-efficient manner. Batch experiments for toluidine blue (TB) adsorption were carried out as a function of initial dye concentration, solution pH, contact time, and gel dosage to examine the adsorption capacity, potential mechanism, and removal efficiency. Adsorption behavior exhibited a pH-dependence pattern, which was closely related to their swelling and morphological properties. Adsorption process was in conformity to pseudo-second-order kinetic and Langmuir isotherm models, unlocking a chemical adsorption behavior and monolayer-type removal. The maximum adsorption was 490.2 mg/g, which could be considered a superiorly competing value. Additionally, the UV-gel still showed desirable recyclability and maintained the adsorption effectiveness over 95 % after five regeneration cycles. This study opened up new prospects in preparing high performance adsorbent for TB decontamination and laid the foundation for polysaccharide-based adsorption material research., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Highland barley non-starch polysaccharides (HBNP), particularly β-glucans, are known for their health-promoting effects, including modulation of glycemic response and enhancement of gut health. This study investigated the impact of different HBNP fractions on the properties and digestibility of high-glycemic index rice starch. HBNP was segmented into five fractions (HBNP-15, HBNP-30, HBNP-45, HBNP-60, and HBNP-75) using gradient ethanol precipitation, and these fractions exhibited varying molecular weights, monosaccharide compositions, and β-glucan contents. All fractions reduced rice starch's pasting viscosity, with 1 % HBNP-75 leading to a 99.1 % decrease in final viscosity. Morphological and size distribution analyses showed that HBNP fractions limited granule swelling and disrupted starch's continuous phase structure. HBNPs also reduced starch digestibility and increased the formation of resistant starch from 10 % to 28 %. These results suggest potential uses for HBNP fractions in developing low-glycemic starch-based foods., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we do not have any commercial conflicts of interest associated with this publication and there has been no significant financial support for this work that could have influenced its outcome., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

β-1,3-Glucanases are essential enzymes involved in the hydrolysis of β-1,3-glucans, with significant biological and industrial relevance. These enzymes are derived from diverse sources, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals, each exhibiting unique substrate specificities and biochemical properties. This review provides an in-depth analysis of the natural sources and ecological roles of β-1,3-glucanases, exploring their enzymatic properties such as optimal pH, temperature, molecular weight, isoelectric points, and kinetic parameters, which are crucial for understanding their functionality and stability. Advances in molecular enzymology are discussed, focusing on gene cloning, expression in systems like Escherichia coli and Pichia pastoris, and structural-functional relationships. The reaction mechanisms and the role of non-catalytic carbohydrate-binding modules in enhancing substrate hydrolysis are examined. Industrial applications of β-1,3-glucanases are highlighted, including the production of β-1,3-glucooligosaccharides, uses in the food industry, biological control of plant pathogens, and nutritional roles. This review aims to provide a foundation for future research, improving the efficiency and robustness of β-1,3-glucanases for various industrial applications., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The majority of natural fungal β-glucans exhibit diverse biological functionalities, such as immunomodulation and anti-inflammatory effects, attributed to their distinctive helix or highly branched conformation This study utilized β-glucan with helix conformation and high-viscosity extracted from Hericium erinaceus, employing freeze-thaw and solvent exchange strategies to induce multiple hydrogen bonding between molecules, thereby initiating the self-assembly process of β-glucan from random coil to stable helix conformation without chemical modifications. Subsequently, the natural bioactive compound tannic acid was introduced through physical entanglement, imparting exceptional antioxidant properties to the hydrogel. The HEBG/TA hydrogel exhibited injectable properties, appropriate mechanical characteristics, degradability, temperature-responsive tannic acid release, antioxidant activity, and hemostatic potential. In vivo experiments using skin full-thickness defect and deep second-degree burn wound models demonstrated significant therapeutic efficacy, including neovascularization, and tissue regeneration. Moreover, the HEBG/TA hydrogel demonstrated its ability to regulate cytokines by effectively inhibiting the production of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6), while simultaneously enhancing the expression of cell proliferation factor KI-67 and markers associated with angiogenesis such as CD31 and α-SMA. This study highlights the potential of combining natural β-glucan with bioactive molecules for skin repair., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared that there were no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Curdlan, a natural polysaccharide, exhibits emulsion-stabilizing and viscosity-modifying properties. However, when employed solely in the aqueous phase, curdlan's adhesive nature impedes droplet dispersion, resulting in a gel-like structure with limited applicability. This investigation formulated a biphasic stabilized oil-in-water emulsion by supplementing the oil phase with beeswax and the aqueous phase with curdlan and soy protein isolate (SPI). The addition of SPI transformed the structural characteristics from a gel-like to a mayonnaise-like structure. Maximal electrostatic repulsion was observed at an internal phase volume fraction of 30%, effectively precluding droplet aggregation owing to the absolute zeta potentials surpassing 40 mV. The emulsions displayed shear-thinning rheological behavior, with a higher storage modulus than the loss modulus, indicative of favorable elastic properties. Molecular docking revealed the predominant role of polar amino acids in facilitating hydrogen bond formation. This study provides a template for developing emulsions with biphasic stability and desirable dispersibility., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

To understand the influence of β-glucans structure on the emulsifying properties of protein-polysaccharide conjugates, sodium caseinate (NaCas) was utilized to form glycosylation conjugates with varying degrees of glycosylation (10.68-17.50%) using three β-glucans from bacteria, yeast, and oats. This process induced alterations in the secondary structure of protein. The nanoemulsions prepared with the glycosylated conjugates exhibited superior stability compared to those formulated solely with NaCas, particularly under conditions of drastic pH fluctuations and extended storage periods. The nanoemulsion prepared with the NaCas-Salecan conjugate demonstrated exceptional stability at pH 4 and 6, or storage for 20 days. Additionally, it significantly attenuated the oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids and exhibited the lowest levels of aggregation, flocculation, and free fatty acid release rate during in vitro digestion. This study suggested the potential of the NaCas-Salecan conjugates in enhancing the stability of nanoemulsions and facilitating the colorectal-targeted delivery of sea buckthorn fruit oil., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors have declared no conflict of interest or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

This study investigated the potential of a novel sustainable ingredient composed of rapeseed oil, linseed meal and beta-glucan (PALM-ALT) to mimic palm shortening functionality in cake. The combined functional properties of linseed meal and beta-glucan led to stable semi-solid emulsion-gels (20-31 μm oil droplet size, 105-115 Pa.s viscosity and 60-65 Pa yield stress). PALM-ALT contained 25 and 88% less total and saturated fat than palm shortening, whilst PALM-ALT cakes contained 26 and 75% less total and saturated fat than the palm-based control. PALM-ALT cakes matched the flavour profile of the palm-based control, while rapeseed oil cakes tasted more sour and less sweet than the control (p < 0.05). PALM-ALT cakes proved less hard and more cohesive than the control (p < 0.05), with 100% of the consumer panel preferring PALM-ALT formulations. This study demonstrated the unique potential of PALM-ALT as healthier, sustainable and competitive alternative to palm shortening., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The complex of oat β-glucan (OBG) and flavonoids hampered the digestion of starch-based food and retarded the blood glucose response; however, its effect on gastric emptying and its relative mechanism have not been thoroughly investigated. By using Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), antioxidant ability, and enzymic inhibitory tests for the characterization and in vitro semi-dynamic digestion of complexes of OBG (high and low molecular weights) and sea buckthorn flavonoids, we found that the higher molecular weight complex (FU) exhibited stronger ABTS and DPPH radical scavenging abilities and higher α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibition rates. Mice fed with rice flour with FU addition exhibited the slowest gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion rates and blood glucose rise and had the lowest activity of digestive enzymes and levels of insulin, ghrelin, motilin (MTL), and relevant gene (ghrelin and GHSR mRNA) expression than those in the control and low-molecular-weight groups. This study provided scientific data for the development of foods with delayed gastric rate and hypoglycemic index for specific populations.

The effects of oat β-glucan (OG) combined with ultrasound-assisted treatment on thermal aggregation behavior of silver carp myofibrillar protein (MP) under low salt concentration were investigated. The particle size and turbidity of MP were increased to higher levels by OG participation or ultrasound treatment during the two-stage heating. Both OG and ultrasonic treatment promoted the unfolding of MP structure, evidenced by the gradual decrease of α-helix content and fluorescence intensity, as well as the increase of β-sheet content, surface hydrophobicity and sulfhydryl content. Compared to solely OG or ultrasonic treatment, the combination of OG and ultrasound further promoted the unfolding of MP and more sulfhydryl groups were exposed in the pre-heating stage, which was conducive to strengthen the chemical forces between MP molecules. Additionally, AFM analysis revealed that the apparent morphology of the OG combined with ultrasonic treated group exhibited a smoother surface and a more uniform distribution of aggregates., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declared no conflicts of interest in connection with the research, authorship, and/or publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The regeneration of absorbed alveolar bone and reconstruction of periodontal support tissue are huge challenges in the clinical treatment of periodontitis due to the limited regenerative capacity of alveolar bone. It is essential to regulate inflammatory reaction and periodontal cell differentiation. Based on the anti-inflammatory effect of baker's yeast β-glucan (BYG) with biosafety by targeting macrophages, the BYG-based nanoparticles loading methotrexate (cBPM) were fabricated from polyethylene glycol-grafted BYG through chemical crosslinking for treatment of periodontitis. In our findings, cBPM promoted osteogenesis of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) under inflammatory microenvironment, characterized by the enhanced expression of osteogenesis-related Runx2 and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (MAPK/Erk) pathway in vitro. Animal experiments further demonstrate that cBPM effectively promoted periodontal bone regeneration and achieved in a better effect of recovery indicated by 19.2 % increase in tissue volume, 7.1 % decrease in trabecular separation, and a significant increase in percent bone volume and trabecular thickness, compared with the model group. Additionally, cBPM inhibited inflammation and repaired alveolar bone by transforming macrophage phenotype from inflammatory M1 to anti-inflammatory M2. This work provides an alternative strategy for the clinical treatment of periodontitis through BYG-based delivery nanoplatform of anti-inflammatory drugs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) activates the NF-κB pathway in microglia and astrocytes, which secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines that disrupt the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Curdlan derivatives are promising carriers for the delivery of siRNA drugs. Herein, we evaluated the glial cell specificity, siRNA delivery efficiency, and the subsequent phenotypic regulation of glial cells by the Curdlan derivatives in the TBI mouse model. Our in vitro and in vivo studies confirmed that the (1) pAVC4 or CuMAN polymer encapsulating siRNA were internalized by astrocytes and microglia in a receptor-dependent manner; (2) systemic administration of the pAVC4 or CuMAN polymer encapsulating siRNA resulted in significant gene silencing efficiency, altered the phenotypic polarization of glial cells, and regulated the secretion of inflammatory cytokines; (3) this lessened neuroinflammation, ameliorated BBB destruction, and improved vascular recovery. These data suggested that pAVC4 and CuMAN polymers are promising RNA delivery vehicles that can efficiently deliver siRNA to the target cells.

Mushroom β-D-glucans can be isolated from several species, including the widely consumed Agaricus bisporus. Besides immunomodulatory responses, some β-D-glucans may exhibit direct antitumoral effects. It was previously observed that a β-(1→6)-D-glucan (BDG16) has indirect cytotoxicity on triple-negative breast cancer cells. In this study, the cytotoxicity of this same glucan was observed on estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Cell viability was determined by multiple methods to assess metabolic activity, lysosomal membrane integrity, and adhesion capacity. Assays to evaluate cell respiration, cell cycle, apoptosis, necroptosis, and oxidative stress were performed to determine the action of BDG16 on MCF-7 cells. A gradual and significant cell viability reduction was observed when the cells were treated with BDG16 (10-1000 µg/mL). This result could be associated with the inhibition of the basal state respiration after incubation with the β-D-glucan. The cells showed a significant arrest in G1 phase population at 1000 µg/mL, with no induction of apoptosis. However, an increase in necrosis and necroptosis at the same concentration was observed. No difference in oxidative stress-related molecules was observed. Altogether, our findings demonstrate that BDG16 directly induces toxicity in MCF-7 cells, primarily by impairing mitochondrial respiration and promoting necroptosis. The specific mechanisms that mediate this action are being investigated.

In this study 5-((2-((3-methoxy benzylidene)-amino)-phenyl)-diazenyl)-4,6-diphenyl pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione was synthesized. The pharmacological applications of pyrimidine analogs are restricted due to their poor pharmacokinetic properties. As a solution, a microbial exopolysaccharide (curdlan gum) was used to synthesize folic acid-conjugated pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione-encapsulated curdlan gum-PEGamine nanoparticles (FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs). The results of physicochemical properties revealed that the fabricated FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs were between 100 and 400 nm in size with a majorly spherical shaped, crystalline nature, and the encapsulation efficiency and loading capacity were 79.04 ± 0.79 %, and 8.12 ± 0.39 % respectively. The drug release rate was significantly higher at pH 5.4 (80.14 ± 0.79 %) compared to pH 7.2. The cytotoxic potential of FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs against MCF-7 cells potentially reduced the number of cells after 24 h with 42.27 μg × mL -1 as IC 50 value. The higher intracellular accumulation of pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione in MCF-7 cells leads to apoptosis, observed by AO/EBr staining and flow cytometry analysis. The highest pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione internalization in MCF-7 cells may be due to folate conjugated on the surface of curdlan gum nanoparticles. Further, internalized pyrimidine-2(5H)-thione increases the intracellular ROS level, leading to apoptosis and inducing the decalin in mitochondrial membrane potential. These outcomes demonstrated that the FA-Py-CG-PEGamine NPs were specificity-targeting folate receptors on the plasma membranes of MCF-7 Cells., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Hyperlipidemia is associated with intestinal barrier dysfunction and gut microbiota dysbiosis. Here, we aimed at investigating whether epicatechin (EC) and β-glucan (BG) from whole highland barley grain alleviated hyperlipidemia associated with ameliorating intestinal barrier dysfunction and modulating gut microbiota dysbiosis in high-fat-diet-induced mice. It was observed that EC and BG significantly improved serum lipid disorders and up-regulated expression of PPARα protein and genes. Supplementation of EC and BG attenuated intestinal barrier dysfunction via promoting goblet cells proliferation and tight junctions. Supplementation of EC and BG prevented high fat diet-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis via modulating the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae, Lactobacillus, Desulfovibrio, Lactococcus, Allobaculum and Akkermansia, and the improving of short chain fatty acid contents. Notably, combination of EC and BG showed synergistic effect on activating PPARα expression, improving colonic physical barrier dysfunction and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Desulfovibrio, which may help explain the effect of whole grain highland barley on alleviating hyperlipidemia., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In this work, carboxymethylated curdlan (CMCD) was utilized as a capping and stabilizing agent for the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. Subsequently, quaternized curdlan (QCD) was introduced as the second capping layer through electrostatic attraction, leading to the preparation of double-capped silver nanoparticles (AgNPs@CQ). The successful synthesis of silver nanoparticles was characterized using UV-vis, FTIR, XRD, TEM, and DLS. AgNPs@CQ were incorporated into gelatin and a AgNPs@CQ/Gel composite hydrogel was obtained. The incorporation of AgNPs@CQ imparts excellent antibacterial properties to the composite hydrogel, thereby enhancing its antimicrobial efficacy. The presence of double-capping layers significantly retards the release rate of silver, contributing to prolonged antimicrobial activity. The MTT and live/dead fluorescence staining results demonstrate that the gelatin hydrogel incorporating double-capped AgNPs exhibits enhanced cell viability compared to the one incorporating single-capped AgNPs. Additionally, the composite hydrogel exhibits remarkable mechanical strength and adhesive performance. The AgNPs@CQ/Gel composite hydrogel demonstrates a cost-effective and facile preparation, showing significant potential in the field of dressings., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

This study investigated the influence of curdlan on the gel properties of whey protein isolate (WPI). Results demonstrated that curdlan significantly improved the water-holding capacity, gel strength and rheological properties of the WPI gels. Moreover, it promoted the unfolding of the molecular structures of WPI, which was manifested by the transition from α-helix to β-sheet, an increase in free sulfhydryl content and a decrease in surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, 4 % curdlan promoted the formation of WPI with uniform and compact elastic gel network structures, primarily attributed to disulphide bonds, hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. However, when the addition of curdlan exceeds 4 %, excessive entanglement of curdlan chains and steric hindrance effects hinder the unfolding and folding of protein structures, weaken their interaction, result in a loose network structure and affect the gel properties. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that curdlan can effectively improve the gelling properties of WPI, suggesting its potential application in low-calorie gel-based dairy products., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Mixtures containing β-glucans were extracted from barley, under both mild and high alkaline conditions, to prepare biodegradable films (MA and HA, respectively), as natural dressings with intrinsic therapeutic properties. An in-depth characterization was performed to evaluate the impact of mild and high alkaline conditions on chemical, physicochemical, and biological features for potential use in wound treatments. Both MA and HA films exhibited a good ability to absorb water and simulate wound fluid, which helps maintain optimal tissue hydration. Moreover, their oxygen permeability (147.6 and 16.4 cm 3  × μm/m 2  × 24 h × Pa × 10 7 , respectively) appeared adequate for the intended application. Biocompatibility tests showed that the films do not harm human dermal fibroblasts. Impressively, they promote cell attachment and growth, with MA having a stronger effect due to its higher β-glucan content. Furthermore, MA films can modulate macrophage behaviour in an inflamed microenvironment, reducing oxidative stress and pro-inflammatory cytokines, while simultaneously increasing levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines. In a scratch test, HA films allowed for faster fibroblast migration within the first 16 h compared to MA. Overall, this study demonstrates that developing β-glucan based films from barley, through a sustainable and cost-effective process, holds great promise for skin applications. These films exhibit significant potential to promote wound healing and modulate inflammation., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

The β-1,6-glucans from Lentinus edodes have a variety of biological activities. However, the research on extraction and separation of β-1,6-glucans from L. edodes is limited and the yield is low. In the present study, we obtained the high-yield and -purity β-1,6-glucans (ALEPA) from L. edodes by using a sequential extraction and separation process, which is simple and suitable for industrialization. ALEPA significantly promoted the proliferation of splenic T lymphocytes and enhanced the phagocytosis activity of peritoneal macrophages in vivo. 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that ALEPA significantly increased the α diversity of gut microbiota and upregulated the relative abundances of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs)-producing bacterial species. Consistently, the SCFAs in the cecum of mice were upregulated. On a mechanical level, we found that the immunomodulatory effect of ALEPA depended on gut microbiota. Collectively, ALEPA is a promising functional food ingredient that regulates gut microbiota and enhances immune function., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study explores the impact of varying concentrations of salt ions (0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, and 12.5 mmol) on the physicochemical properties and 3D-printing performance of rice starch-curdlan composite gel. The relationship between gel structure, properties, printability, and printing accuracy was clarified through the evaluation of each parameter. The inclusion of an appropriate concentration of NaCl positively influenced the properties and printing characteristics of the composite gel. Specifically, a NaCl concentration of 7.5 mmol yielded the highest printing performance, achieving 98.61 % accuracy. Microstructural analysis indicates that the addition of ions promoted the formation of a denser network structure in the composite gel. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy reveals enhanced hydrogen bonding in the rice starch-curdlan gels with the addition of NaCl. Lastly, dysphagia testing demonstrates that the composite gels with 0-5 mmol NaCl concentrations exhibited grade 5 characteristics (clastic and wet) with satisfactory swallowing performance., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

For the first time, curdlan (CL) was reported to have emulsifying property. Based on its emulsifying property and gelling property, the CL-based simple-structured emulsion gels were prepared. Among different CLs, CL-4 showed relatively good emulsifying property and its based emulsion showed the best stability, which might be mainly due to its highest hydrophobic property. The initial CL-4 gel formation temperature of the emulsion increased with oil volume fraction, which might be due to the oil droplets' interfering effect. Many non-spherical oil droplets appeared in the emulsion gel, which was mainly due to the squeezing effect of CL-4 gelation. The hardness, chewiness, springiness and cohesiveness of CL-4 based emulsion gels increased with CL-4 content. The texture parameters of emulsion gels with oil ratio ranging from 20 % to 40 % did not change significantly, which might benefit for increasing functional components' transportation efficiency of the emulsion gel without weakening its gel property significantly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Quercetin, a promising anti-inflammatory agent, faces challenges related to poor bioavailability and limited practical applications. β-glucan, a natural polysaccharide, can be specifically recognized by macrophages, making it an ideal targeting carrier to enhance therapeutic efficacy for macrophage-related dysfunctions. In this study, β-glucan conjugated quercetin nano-complexes (CM-Cur@QT) were developed to target macrophage and alleviate pro-inflammatory response in M1-like macrophages. The results demonstrated that CM-Cur@QT exhibited a spheric shape with an average diameter around 200 nm. FT-IR, 1 H NMR, XRD and XPS analyses confirmed the complexation of CM-Cur@QT. This complex showed excellent stability during stimulated digestion, protecting QT from degradation while maintaining favorable antioxidant activity. After complexation, CM-Cur@QT displayed sustained uptake kinetics and enhanced accumulation in macrophages, with a 61.88 % increase compared to individual quercetin after 5 h of incubation. Meanwhile, CM-Cur@QT administration induced evidently cell cycle phases transitions and altered phagocytotic activity in M1-like macrophages. Furthermore, CM-Cur@QT reduced intracellular ROS accumulation, achieving a ROS scavenging rate of up to 49.92 %, compared to 25.59 % in quercetin group. This complex also effectively modulated TNF-a, IL-6 and TGF-β secretion profiles in pro-inflammatory macrophages, outperforming individual QT treatment. Notably, CM-Cur@QT facilitated anti-inflammatory effects while minimizing impacts on inactivated M0 macrophages. These findings underscore the potential of CM-Cur@QT as a promising agent for mitigating inflammatory disorders., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper. All co-authors have declared that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of the present manuscript., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The potential of DOSY NMR spectroscopy to distinguish the linkage pattern of chemically related polysaccharides was evaluated using β-glucans isolated from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and mushroom (Pleurotus eryngii). Laminarin from Laminaria digitata was included for chemical shift comparison. Characterization through methylation and 1D/2D NMR analysis showed that all the samples were constituted by →3)-Glcp-(1→; →3,6)-Glcp-(1→; Glcp-(1→ and →6)-Glcp-(1→ linkages. The results obtained allowed the identification of the well-known chemical structure of laminarin. Moreover, DOSY demonstrated that the units →3)-Glcp-(1→ and →6)-Glcp-(1→ from yeast β-glucans, presented the same diffusion time. For the mushrooms β-glucans, the diffusion time of these units were different, confirming that they belong to distinct polysaccharides. The yeast and the mushroom polysaccharide samples presented the same NMR correlations, but after DOSY analysis, different structures could be proposed. Therefore, DOSY NMR spectroscopy could be a tool for the identification of different linkage patterns of polysaccharides belonging to the same group and may be a useful contribution to the chemical structure and biological activity correlation studies of such structures., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Ball milling treatment could affect the microstructures, improve the emulsification properties of curdlan (CL) and regulate the emulsion gel properties of CL based emulsion gel in two-ways. With increasing ball milling time (1 h-8 h), the particle size first decreased and then increased, the relative crystallinity decreased, and the contact angle increased. Ball milled curdlan (BMCL)-6 h showed the best emulsifying property and stability, which was the combined effects of decreased particle size and increased hydrophobic property. Ball milling 1 h and 2 h significantly improved the hardness and chewiness of CL-based emulsion gels, while, ball milling 4 h-8 h could make the emulsion gels much softer and ice cream-like. When the emulsion gels were heated twice consecutively, the visual appearance and texture properties did not change significantly, indicating the excellent thermal stability of these emulsion gels. The BMCL based emulsion gel with adjustable gel properties and good thermal stability has a wide range of uses in the food system., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)