Creating a more effective postbiotic solution with a beta-glucan complex to balance immune health

The role of the immune system and its links to general health are better understood than ever.​

There is a large amount of research emerging highlighting the lifestyle factors that contribute to a healthy immune system, and what can cause immune health to fail. It is understood that high levels of stress, poor sleep, and an unbalanced diet are all often an accepted part of modern life, and yet all contribute to a poorly functioning immune system.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic meant that people began to think differently about the importance of health broadly, and about the immune system specifically. The same could be said about the companies working to improve health worldwide. For AB Biotek HNH, the pandemic signalled an opportunity to develop a product that could aid immune health, and this led to the creation of ABB C1® – a synergistic combination of yeast postbiotics enriched in selenium and zinc and a beta-glucan complex that modulates the trained innate immune system.

Beyond a single system ​

The immune system can be broken down into two parts: the innate and the acquired immune system. The difference between the two is designated by their names, with the innate system being one that is present from birth, and the acquired system being one that is developed over time.

However, rather than being fixed, innate immunity is also an adaptable system that can provide long-term protection against pathogenic reinfection through ‘trained immunity’. Trained immunity refers to the immunological process by which innate immune cells can develop a ‘memory’ against pathogens.

The trained immune system works differently from the acquired immune system because it can be active against pathogens unrelated to the original perceived threat. As such, the trained immune system provides an enhanced immune response to a second, unrelated challenge posed to the health of the body – allowing the body to respond faster and more robustly to reinfections. The protection provided by this system can last between three months to one year.

Better together: postbiotics and beta-glucan​

At AB Biotek HNH, the focus was on producing a product that would be able to harness the power of trained immunity to provide people with the opportunity to achieve a healthy immune function. ABB C1® was the result, and it is formed of a combination of a beta-glucan complex, alongside zinc- and selenium-rich postbiotics. Beta-glucan is a type of soluble fiber that is produced in the cell walls of bacteria, fungi, yeasts and some plants.

Studies have shown a link between beta-glucans from yeast being able to strengthen the immune system; enhance immune system response to vaccination; enhance the protection against allergies; promote healthy inflammatory responses; support respiratory health; and protect in periods of excess physical and emotional stress.

Despite this, not all beta-glucan-based products are the same. Most are formed of single beta-glucans, which deliver a limited immune receptor response and do not deliver a robust immune system secondary reaction to an unrelated challenge. By contrast, ABB C1® is a complex product including two individual beta-glucans (Beta-1,3/1,6-glucan) from Saccharomyces cerevisiae​. The glucose polymers were chosen specifically for their ability to operate synergistically to produce a more effective secondary response via trained immunity.

Alongside the beta-glucans, the product contains selenium-rich and zinc-rich postbiotics that have been shown to provide a protective effect against respiratory infection. Selenium, when paired with beta-glucan, also improves the immune modulatory effects of beta-glucan. Both minerals have been associated with deficiency across broad populations, and each is key to healthy body function, including the immune system.^1,2​

When everything is combined, this broad spectrum approach provides a balanced trained immunity that is more effective than individual postbiotics or beta-glucans.

Following the science​

As part of AB Biotek HNH’s efforts to better understand the potential of the synergy between the two beta-glucans, the company conducted research to determine their ability to induce trained immunity in human primary monocytes. The research results were recently published and found that the core of ABB C1® can induce a potent innate host response after a secondary non-specific challenge. Each beta-glucan was specifically selected based on the differentiation of structural properties. Directly related to this, the research found that the combination engages various immune receptors, and collectively activates different signalling pathways, which leads to an upregulation of the immune response that is superior to the effect found for single beta-glucans .

The results of the study found that multiple beta-glucans induce a significantly higher response, in terms of modulating the immune response previously mentioned, when compared to the use of individual compounds. In understanding why this happens, the researchers hypothesized that the synergy between the compounds within ABB C1® was behind this difference. This higher response was also found to be true when compared against commercially available control beta-glucan preparations.

Further, the researchers also tested the compounds in ABB C1 against commercially available probiotic formulations. The outcomes saw the probiotics interact with the immune system in a different way to the beta-glucan complex. It was found that the probiotic formulation induced inflammation upon its first interaction with immune cells.

In contrast, when the immune system was provoked by a secondary challenge mimicking infection, to see if it is primed by the probiotic to react, there was no additional response. The research suggests that the first response provoked by probiotics is stronger, but this effect is quickly lost against further challenges.

By comparison, the beta-glucan complex within ABB C1® was not found to cause inflammation in a healthy immune system. Yet, when faced with a second challenge, the immune response is stronger and faster – within 24 hours, it was found that there was a heightened release of cytokines to deal with the secondary challenge.

Ensuring versatility​

One of the advantages of ABB C1® is that being a yeast-based product, the supplement can be integrated into a range of formulations. Testing has allowed ABB C1® to be delivered in stick packs, capsules, tablets, snack bars, gummies, and bulk powder. This versatility allows the product to be delivered as a standalone solution.

Alternatively, AB Biotek HNH can work with partners to customize or enhance existing products to contain ABB C1®, according to requirements. ABB C1® is suitable to be delivered to adults and children, as the dosage can be adapted for all ages.

The product can be used as a broad-spectrum protective agent against infection. It can be effective against viral and bacterial infections, with a particular focus on upper respiratory tract infections, including against common illnesses, such as the flu and colds. As well as being useful for individuals who are already ill, ABB C1® is also a preventative agent that trains the immune system to broadly combat pathogens within the body.

AB Biotek HNH is also currently undertaking further research to learn more about the product’s potential to help allergies. The innate and adaptive immunities can trigger excessive inflammatory responses. With a more balanced immune response, provided by ABB C1®, it is possible to modulate allergic responses.

By continuing to advance research into beta-glucans and postbiotics, more of the benefits of their use as a supplement will be uncovered, including how they interact with the immune system. Scientific knowledge of the immune system, and its importance to all types of health, is growing all the time. AB Biotek HNH aims to be at the forefront of this, providing a supplement that can improve the prognosis of infections and allergies alike.

References​

1. ​Kotur, N.; Skakic, A.; Gasic, V.; et al. (2021). Association of Vitamin D, Zinc and Selenium Related Genetic Variants With COVID-19 Disease Severity.​ Front. Nutr., Vol. 8. 
2. ​Abu Jamra, S.R.; Komatsu, C. G.; Barbosa, F.; et al. (2023). Proposal to Screen for Zinc and Selenium in Patients with IgA Deficiency.​ Nutrients, 15(9), 2145.
3. ​Vuscan, P.; Kischkel, B.; Hatzioannou, A.; et al. (2024). Potent induction of trained immunity by Saccharomyces cerevisiae β-glucans.​ Front. Immunol., Vol. 15.