Immunosuppressive Effects of Glucosamine

• Published in: The Journal of biological chemistry Vol. 277; no. 42; pp. 39343 - 39349
• Main Authors: Ma, Linlin, Rudert, William A, Harnaha, Jo, Wright, Marietta, Machen, Jennifer, Lakomy, Robert, Qian, Shiguang, Lu, Lina, Robbins, Paul D, Trucco, Massimo, Giannoukakis, Nick
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 18-10-2002
• Subjects: Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Animals; beta-Galactosidase - metabolism; Cyclosporine - therapeutic use; Dendritic Cells - metabolism; DNA-Binding Proteins - metabolism; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Flow Cytometry; Glucosamine - metabolism; Glucosamine - therapeutic use; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - therapeutic use; Jurkat Cells; Mice; Mice, Inbred C3H; Mice, Inbred C57BL; NFATC Transcription Factors; Nuclear Proteins; Tacrolimus - therapeutic use; Time Factors; Transcription Factors - metabolism; Transplantation Tolerance
• ISSN: 0021-9258; 1083-351X
• DOI: 10.1074/jbc.M204924200

Glucosamine is a naturally occurring derivative of glucose and is an essential component of glycoproteins and proteoglycans,
important constituents of many eukaryotic proteins. In cells, glucosamine is produced enzymatically by the amidation of glucose
6-phosphate and can then be further modified by acetylation to result in N -acetylglucosamine. Commercially, glucosamine is sold over-the-counter to relieve arthritis. Although there is evidence in
favor of the beneficial effects of glucosamine, the mechanism is unknown. Our data demonstrate that glucosamine suppresses
the activation of T-lymphoblasts and dendritic cells in vitro as well as allogeneic mixed leukocyte reactivity in a dose-dependent manner. There was no inherent cellular toxicity involved
in the inhibition, and the activity was not reproducible with other amine sugars. More importantly, glucosamine administration
prolonged allogeneic cardiac allograft survival in vivo . We conclude that, despite its documented effects on insulin sensitivity, glucosamine possesses immunosuppressive activity
and could be beneficial as an immunosuppressive agent.