Effect of beta-1,3-1,6-D-glucan on the phagocytic activity and oxidative metabolism of pripheral blood granulocytes and monocytes in rats

The experiment was performed on 20 adult Wistar rats aged 12 weeks, divided into two equal groups (control and experimental), each comprised of five males and five females. From the first day of the experiment, the experimental group rats were fed Murigran feed supplemented with ß-l,3/l,6-D-glucan at a dosage of 12-19 mg/rat/d, subject to body weight, while the control- group was administered the same feed without any additives. At the beginning of the experiment and then after 14 days, arterial blood samples were collected from the rats and diluted with heparin to measure and compare the phagocytic activity and oxidative metabolism of peripheral blood granulocytes and monocytes by flow cytometry. Statistically higher levels of the activity were observed in the group of rats administered glucan than in controls, expressed in terms of the percentage of phagocytic cells as well as average fluorescence intensity. ß-l,3/l,6-D-glucan also had a positive effect on the oxidative metabolism of both granulocytes and monocytes after stimulation with E. coli, and on the oxidative metabolism of granulocytes after stimulation with PMA.