β-glucans are polymers of glucose that have been isolated from a variety of organisms. Isolated β-glucans have been used for medical purposes for centuries; however, efforts to define the biological activities of β-glucans experimentally were initiated in the 1940's. The diversity of structure associated with isolated β-glucans has impeded said investigations, and efforts to leverage the biological activity of β-glucans for clinical applications. In recognition of the need for defined β-glucans that retain the biological activity of isolated β-glucans, considerable investment has been made to facilitate the synthesis of structurally defined β-glucans. Here, we review the different approaches that have been applied to prepare β-glucans. In addition, we summarize the approaches that have been utilized to conjugate β-glucans to proteins. © 2021 The Chemical Society of Japan & Wiley-VCH GmbH.
Patrick Ross, Mark P Farrell. The Road to Structurally Defined β-Glucans. Chemical record (New York, N.Y.). 2021 Nov;21(11):3178-3193
PMID: 34010496
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