Immune enhancing effect of a Maillard-type lysozyme-galactomannan conjugate via signaling pathways

Abstract

We studied the immune-modulating effect of Maillard-type lysozyme-galactomannan conjugate (LGC). LGC significantly induced nitric oxide, and expressions of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1 beta and IL-8 on the murine macrophage Raw 264.7 cell line. In the mechanism of LGC, while extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) was important for the induction of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta and IL-8, the phosphorylation of C-Jun NH2-termianl kinase (JNK) contributed to the induction of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta to a greater degree. These cytokines were less sensitive to the inhibition of p38. Nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B was involved in the induction of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta. These data indicate that LGC has immune-modulating effects via JNK, ERK and NF-kappa B pathways, and that LGC may contribute to host immune defense. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.