Zymosan A is a polysaccharide compound (13 beta glucan) ligand found on the surface of various fungi. Zymosan A has been found to bind to Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2), a surface membrane receptor protein responsible for recognizing bacterial, viral, and fungal substances. Upon stimulation, TLLR2 initates a signaling cascade which leads to specific immune responses. Zymosan A can be used to study cytokine secretion and other immunologic properties in macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs).
Zymosan can be used to induce a state of inflammation in experimental systems. It can be used in immunology and inflammation research using flow cytometry. Uptake of Zymosan offers a rapid, simple asay of phagocytic activity.
Zymosan A is insoluble in water.
| Mechanism of Action | Zymosan A binds to and stimulates TLR2 (Toll-like receptor 2), a surface protein responsible for recognizing foreign substances such as cell wall components in pathogenic bacteria. Upon stimulation, TLR2 initiates a signaling cascade which eventually leads to specific immune responses. Zymosan induces proinflammatory cytokines, arachidonate mobilization, protein phosphorylation, and inositol phosphate formation in macrophages. |
| Molecular Formula | (C6H10O5)x |
| Microbiology Applications | Studies have shown that Zymosan can be an immunological adjuvant in DNA vaccination against HIV-1. It enhances helper T cell (Th) 1-mediated immunity. The mechanism of this enhancement was studied in a murine model. The effect is hypothesized to be based on the consequences of its recruitment and activation of macrophages, dendritic cells, or antigen-presenting cells (APC) through complement activation (Ara et al, 2001). |
| Eukaryotic Cell Culture Applications | Much of our understanding of the specific mediators and cell types involved in acute inflammation has come from sterile peritonitis models. |
| Cancer Research Applications |
M (IL-4) macrophages treated with Zymosan showd enhanced production of chemo-attractants, like CCL3, CCL4, and DXCL8 which contribute to recruitment of monocytes and neutrophils. The yeast-derived zymosan have the unique ability to preferentially skew macrophages towards a chemo-attractant-producing phenotype that may help in anti-cancer immune responses. The attachment of Zymosan A and both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria to tumor cells was done as part of a study to use killed microorganism to stimulate immunity in cancer immunotherapy . These complex particles offered the possibility to stimulate both signalling receptors (TLR, NLR and others) and phagocytic receptors. Zymosan A anchored to melanoma cells revealed strong synergy with LPS, leading to the shrinkage of tumors and their temporary or permanent elimination (Waldmannová et al, 2016). |
| References |
Ara Y et al (2001) Zymosan enhances the immune response to DNA vaccine for human immunodeficiency virus ty Immunology, 103: 1365-2567 Cash JL, White GE and Greaves DR (2009) Zymosan induced perionitis as a simple experimental system for the study of inflammation. In: Methods in Enzymology. Academic Press 461:379-396 Dillon S (2006) Yeast Zymosan, a stimulus for TLR2 and dectin-1, induces regulatory antigen-presenting cells and immunological tolerance. J. Clin. Investig. 116(4):916-928 Gantner BN et al (2003) Collaborative induction of inflammatory responses by dectin-1 and Toll-like receptor 2. J Exp Med. 197(9):1107-17 Ozinsky A et al (2000) The repertoire for pattern recognition of pathogens by the innate immune system is defined by cooperation between toll-like receptors. PNAS. 97(25):13766-71 Venkatachalam G, Arumugam S, Doble M (2020) Synthesis, characterization, and biological activity of aminated Zymosan. ACS Omega. 5(26):15973-1598 PMID 32656418 Waldmannová E et al (2016) The use of Zymosan A and bacteria anchored to tumor cells for effective cancer immunotherapy: B16-F10 murine melanoma model. Intl. Immunopharmacol. 39:295-306 Wang L et al (2013) Insulin resistance induced by Zymosan as a new animal model in mice. Horm. Metab. Res. 45(10):736-740 |