The effect of oligosaccharides on the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha by macrophage-like cell line J774/JA-4.

Stimulation and modulation of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production during treatment of the murine macrophage-like cell line J774/JA-4 with 25 oligosaccharides were studied. Direct stimulation of TNF-alpha production by oligosaccharides was measured with a cytotoxic assay using the L929 cell line. Twelve samples showed a significantly higher production (P < or = 0.01) of TNF-alpha than the controls. Modulation of TNF-alpha production by treatment with oligosaccharides, followed by stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from E. coli, was examined using the L929 bioassay system. In three samples TNF-alpha production increased significantly, but in four samples, production was reduced significantly (P < or = 0.01). No samples showed modulation of growth or viability of L929 cells within the first 26 hr. The present results are useful in the application of these oligosaccharides which is potentially applicable in medical and food technology.