Effect of <i>N</i>‐Acetylchito‐Oligosaccharides on Activation of Phagocytes

Abstract Four N ‐acetylchito‐oligosaccharides, from tetra‐ N ‐acetylchitotetraose (NACOS‐4) to hepta‐ N ‐acetylchitoheptaose (NACOS‐7), were found to increase the number of peritoneal exudate cells (PEC) in male BALB/c mice after 3 hr intraperitoneal administration of 50 mg/kg of each oligosaccharide. The number of attracted cells, consisting largely of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), was proportional to the molecular weights of the administered oligosaccharides, except for NACOS‐7 which displayed the same activity as NACOS‐6. In an in vitro chemotaxis assay using normal mouse leukocytes, it was found that NACOS‐6 displayed stronger effects than muramyl dipeptide. The PEC from NACOS‐6 treated mice showed a higher active oxygen‐generating activity. PMN from normal mouse peripheral blood were also shown to have enhanced active oxygen‐generating activity in vitro . PEC from NACOS‐6 treated mice were shown to possess strong candidacidal activity in vitro .