Structure–function relationships of immunostimulatory polysaccharides: A review

•The immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharides triggering cellular events is presented.•Glucans, mannans, and pectic polysaccharides are the most studied immunostimulatory polysaccharides.•The immunostimulatory activity is influenced by a combination of structural features.•Triple-helix and acet...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Carbohydrate polymers 2015-11, Vol.132 (C), p.378-396
Main Authors: Ferreira, Sónia S., Passos, Cláudia P., Madureira, Pedro, Vilanova, Manuel, Coimbra, Manuel A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acetylation
Branching
Galactans - chemistry
Galactans - immunology
Glucans
Glucans - chemistry
Glucans - immunology
Hyaluronic Acid - chemistry
Hyaluronic Acid - immunology
Immunomodulation
Mannans - chemistry
Mannans - immunology
Mucoproteins - chemistry
Mucoproteins - immunology
Pectins - chemistry
Pectins - immunology
Plant Proteins - chemistry
Plant Proteins - immunology
Polysaccharides - chemistry
Polysaccharides - immunology
Sulfation
Triple helix
Xylans - chemistry
Xylans - immunology
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Summary:•The immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharides triggering cellular events is presented.•Glucans, mannans, and pectic polysaccharides are the most studied immunostimulatory polysaccharides.•The immunostimulatory activity is influenced by a combination of structural features.•Triple-helix and acetyl and sulfate groups highly contribute to the immunostimulation.•More in vitro and in vivo assays with well structurally defined polysaccharides are required. Immunostimulatory polysaccharides are compounds capable of interacting with the immune system and enhance specific mechanisms of the host response. Glucans, mannans, pectic polysaccharides, arabinogalactans, fucoidans, galactans, hyaluronans, fructans, and xylans are polysaccharides with reported immunostimulatory activity. The structural features that have been related with such activity are the monosaccharide and glycosidic-linkage composition, conformation, molecular weight, functional groups, and branching characteristics. However, the establishment of structure–function relationships is possible only if purified and characterized polysaccharides are used and selective structural modifications performed. Aiming at contributing to the definition of the structure–function relationships necessary to design immunostimulatory polysaccharides with potential for preventive or therapeutical purposes or to be recognized as health-improving ingredients in functional foods, this review introduces basic immunological concepts required to understand the mechanisms that rule the potential claimed immunostimulatory activity of polysaccharides and critically presents a literature survey on the structural features of the polysaccharides and reported immunostimulatory activity.
ISSN:0144-8617
1879-1344
DOI:10.1016/j.carbpol.2015.05.079