Recently studies performed on mushroom isolated
polysaccharides demonstrated that β -(1,3)-glucan may affect the balance of Th1/Th2 cell response. Using
ovalbumin (OVA) as a
hypersensitivity inducer, we evaluated the ability of mushroom
beta-glucan (MBG) in modulating Th1/Th2 cell responses in B6 mice. As compared to the control group, administration of MBG resulted in an increase of phagocytic activities, Th1
cytokine productions,
immunoglobulins including
IgG2A and
IgA, and a significant expression of the splenic surface markers including CD3, CD4, CD8, and F4/80. In contrast, administration of MBG has significantly suppressed
IgE and
IgG1 levels and Th2
cytokines including
IL-4,
IL-5, and
IL-6. Histopathological observation of MBG-treated followed by OVA-treated mice showed less filtration of eosinophil in pulmonary tissue sections. Our data suggested that administration of MBG treatments alters the natural course of the
IgE-mediated hypersensitivities. In this investigation, we realize the mushroom
beta glucan alter the Th2 response toward the Th1 in the allergic, resulting in a reduction in
IgE productions which played a substantive role in reducing the severity of
IgE-mediated hypersensitivity.