β-(1→6)-D-glucan secreted during the optimised production of exopolysaccharides by Paecilomyces variotii has immunostimulatory activity.

Paecilomyces variotii is a filamentous fungus that occurs worldwide in soil and decaying vegetation. Optimization of the fermentation process for exopolysaccharide (EPS) production from the fungus P. variotii, structure determination and immuno-stimulating activity of EPS were performed. Response surface methodology (RSM) coupled with central composite design (CCD) was used to optimize the physical and chemical factors required to produce EPS in submerged fermentation. Preliminary investigations to choose the three factors for the present work were made using a factorial experimental design. Glucose, ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3) and pH were used as variables for which, with constant temperature of 28 °C and agitation of 90 rpm, the optimal process parameters were determined as glucose values of 0.96%, NH4NO3 0.26% and pH 8.0. The three parameters presented significant effects. In this condition of culture, the main composition of the isolated EPS was a linear β-(1 → 6)-linked-D-glucan, as determined by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and methylation analysis. This polysaccharide is a very unusual as an EPS from fungi, especially a filamentous fungus such as P. variotii. Murine peritoneal macrophages cultivated with β-glucan for 6 and 48 h showed an increase in TNF-α, IL-6 and nitric oxide release with increased polysaccharide concentrations. Therefore, we conclude that the β-(1 → 6)-linked-D-glucan produced in optimised conditions of P. variotii cultivation has an immune-stimulatory activity on murine macrophages.