Oral administration of the β-glucan produced by Aureobasidium pullulans ameliorates development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E deficient mice

The Aureobasidium pullulans-produced β-glucan (AP-PG) is an immune stimulator, and believed to exhibit beneficial effects on health through its immune stimulating activity. Here, the effect of oral administration of AP-PG on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced atherosclerosis was evaluated using apolipoprotein E deficient mice, a widely used mouse model for atherosclerosis. The results demonstrated that HFD-induced development of atherosclerosis was significantly reduced in the AP-PG-treated mice when compared with that of the control mice. In serological analysis, blood levels of oxidized low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, a well-known risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis, were significantly reduced in the AP-PG-treated group of mice. Further, immunohistochemical analysis using MOMA-2 antibody showed that oral administration of AP-PG is effective in ameliorating vascular accumulation of macrophages. These data suggest the possibility that oral administration of AP-PG is effective in ameliorating HFD-induced development of atherosclerosis.