Pustulan

Pustulan is a median molecular weight (20 kDa), linear (1-6) linked β-D-glucan from lichen Lasallia pustulata.

Pustulan is recognized by the membrane bound Dectin-1, a C-type lectin-like pattern recognition receptor [1].

Detection of β-glucans by Dectin-1 receptor leads to the CARD9-dependent activation of NF-κB and MAP kinases[2].

Studies have shown that pustulan can stimulate innate immune responses, inducing heat shock protein expression, eliciting phagocytosis [3], and production of proinflammatory cytokines [4].

References:

1. Willment Ja. et al., 2001. Characterization of the human beta -glucan receptor and its alternatively spliced isoforms. J Biol Chem. 276(47):43818- 23.
2. Goodridge HS. et al., 2009. Beta-glucan recognition by the innate immune system. Immunol Rev. 230(1):38-50.
3. Iubin-Bejerano I. et al., 2007. Phagocytosis by human neutrophils is stimulated by a unique fungal cell wall component. Cell Host Microbe. 2(1):55-67.
4. Noss I. et al., 2013. Comparison of the potency of a variety of β-glucans to induce cytokine production in human whole blood. Innate Immun. 19(1):10-9.