Polysaccharide Modulates Immune Response Without Increasing Viscosity

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current solutions for enhancing natural defense against cold and flu rely heavily on medicaments, and there is a need for edible products or pharmaceutical compositions that can modulate the immune response using naturally occurring compounds without compromising the organoleptic or technical properties of food products.

Innovation Solution

A polysaccharide with a backbone comprising alternating rhamnogalacturonan-I cores and alpha(1,4)-linked polygalacturonic acid or oligogalacturonic acid cores, obtained from plants like Camellia sinensis, Daucus carota, Glycine max, Malus domestica, and Beta vulgaris, which has a molecular weight of at least 70 kDa and a specific molar ratio of galacturonyl acid to rhamnosyl residues, is incorporated into edible products or pharmaceutical compositions to stimulate immune response.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If polysaccharide is incorporated to modulate immune response, then immune stimulation is improved, but product viscosity may increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmune response modulationVSAvoidviscosity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSForce

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by carefully controlling the molecular weight of the polysaccharide (at least 70 kDa) and the molar ratio of galacturonyl acid to rhamnosyl residues (0.5:1 to 2:1). These specific parameter ranges optimize the balance between immune stimulation capability and minimal impact on food product viscosity, allowing the polysaccharide to function effectively as an immunomodulator without significantly altering the organoleptic properties of the food matrix.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If polysaccharide with specific structure is used for immune modulation, then immune response is improved, but manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveimmune response modulationVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent specifies precise compositional parameters (molar ratio of galacturonyl acid to rhamnosyl residues between 0.5:1 and 2:1, and molecular weight of at least 70 kDa) that define the active polysaccharide structure. By establishing these clear parameter ranges, the patent simplifies the manufacturing process quality control while ensuring the polysaccharide maintains its immune-modulating properties, avoiding the need for overly complex purification or synthesis procedures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP3287471B1Polysaccharide suitable to modulate immune response
Publication Date: 2020.12.16 NUTRILEADS
  • EP3287471B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3287471B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3287471B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Objective of the present invention is to provide polysaccharides which modulate immune response, and which can be used as ingredients in edible products or pharmaceutical compositions. The present invention provides such polysaccharides obtained from the species Camellia sinensis, which comprise a rhamnogalacturonan-I core, and wherein the molar ratio of galacturonyl acid residues to rhamnosyl residues in the backbone of the polysaccharide is close to 1:1. The present invention also provides edible products or pharmaceutical compositions containing such polysaccharides, in order to modulate immune response.