Kefiran Suppresses Antigen-Induced Mast Cell Activation

“To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of Rice Kefiran, the effect of rice kefiran on mast cell activation was investigated. Mast cells express IgE receptors (FcεRI) on their cell surface, and plays importat roles in allergic and inflammatory disorders.
Bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs) were pretreated with 0.1, 0.3, 1, and 3 mg/mL Rice Kefiran and stimulated with antigen to examine degranulation and cytokine production. Degranulation of mast cells was evaluated by measuring the activity of granule-stored enzyme β-hexaminidase secreted into the cell supernatant. As a result, pretreatment of BMMCs with Rice Kefiran significantly reduced β-hexaminidase release in a dose-dependent manner (Figure 1). Secretion level of TNF-α, a type of inflammatory cytokine produced by mast cells, was also examined. The results showed that the secretion level of TNF-α was similarly suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by pretreatment with Rice Kefiran (Figure 2).
As a conclusion, pretreatment of mast cells with Rice Kefiran demonstrated to inhibit degranulation and cytokine secretion in a dose-dependent manner. This effect may be due to the effect of Rice Kefiran on signaling pathway. This study suggests that Rice Kefiran is useful for the prevention and treatment of allergy mediated by mast cells.”