Curdlan is a water-insoluble linear β-(1,3)-glucan produced by microbial fermentation. Curdlan binds to Dectin-1 and activates NF-κB and MAPK pathways. Curdlan promotes macrophage and dendritic cell activation and induces TNF-α and IL-12 production. Curdlan serves as a gel carrier or adjuvant system for antigen delivery. Curdlan can be used for immunomodulation, vaccine adjuvants, and tumor immunotherapy research[1-4].
In vitro, dendritic cells were treated with 20μg/mL Curdlan for 48 hours. Curdlan upregulated CD40, CD80, CD86, CD83, and HLA-DR expression and promoted IL-23, IL-1β, and IL-6 secretion[5]. Bone marrow-derived dendritic cells were stimulated with 100μg/mL Curdlan for 24 hours. Curdlan promoted Dectin-1, Syk, and PLCy2 translocation to lipid rafts and induced CD40 and CD86 expression and TNF-α, IL-2, and IL-10 production[6].
In vivo, Leishmania donovani-infected BALB/c mice received intraperitoneal injections of 10mg/kg/day Curdlan on days 10, 15, and 20. Curdlan cleared liver and spleen parasite burdens and induced IL-12, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-23, and IL-17 production[7]. Colitis-induced C57BL/6 mice received daily oral gavage of 10mg/mL Curdlan (100μL) for 14 days. Curdlan reduced body weight loss, ulceration, and crypt loss in acute colitis[8].
References:[1] Yuan M, Fu G, Sun Y, et al. Biosynthesis and applications of curdlan. Carbohydr Polym. 2021 Dec 1;273:118597.
[2] Shukla S, Vishwakarma K, Singh AK, et al. Curdlan: a microbial biopolymer of multifarious applications for a sustainable environment. Protoplasma. 2025 Nov;262(6):1387-1399.
[3] McIntosh M, Stone BA, Stanisich VA. Curdlan and other bacterial (1-->3)-beta-D-glucans. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2005 Aug;68(2):163-73.
[4] Xu Z, Li Z, Wu Y, et al. Curdlan, a functionally microbial extracellular polysaccharide with versatile food applications. Food Chem. 2026 Jul 30;518:149490.
[5] Agrawal S, Gupta S, Agrawal A. Human Dendritic Cells Activated via Dectin-1 Are Efficient at Priming Th17, Cytotoxic CD8 T and B Cell Responses. PLoS ONE. 2010 Oct 18;5(10):e13418.
[6] Li D, Li C, Jiang S, et al. Lonicerin protects pancreatic acinar cells from caerulein-induced apoptosis, inflammation, and ferroptosis by activating the SIRT1/GPX4 signaling pathway. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2024;492:117136.
[7] Ghosh K, Sharma G, Saha A, et al. Successful Therapy of Visceral Leishmaniasis With Curdlan Involves T-Helper 17 Cytokines. J Infect Dis. 2013 Mar 15;207(6):1016-25.
[8] Rahman S, Davids M, van Hamersveld PHP, et al. Dietary Curdlan Enhances Bifidobacteria and Reduces Intestinal Inflammation in Mice. Nutrients. 2021 Apr 15;13(4):1305.