Glucocorticoid sparing factor and process for the production of the same

A glucocorticoid sparing factor characterized in that:

• it is a colorless and acidic substance produced in a culture broth of a microorganism of the Family Enterobacteriaceae and is easily soluble in water and in diluted aqueous acid or alkali;
• it is positive to 1,10-phenanthroline reaction, Orcinol reaction and Anthrone reaction and negative to Folin-Thiocalt reaction and Elson-Morgan reaction;
• it has a molecular weight between about 800 and about 1,500;
• it is an oligosaccharide having N-acetylneuraminic acid, pentose, hexose and a primary amine as constructing moieties;
• it indicates in vivo an amplifying action in the induction if tyrosine transaminase and leucine transaminase by glucocorticoid in the liver of adrenalectomized rat, with said amplifying action being deactivated by the action of .alpha.-glucosidase, but not being affected by the action of .alpha.-amylase, neuraminidase, hyaluronidase, lysozyme, chymotripsin, trypsin, pepsin, proteinase, papain, collagenase, aminopeptidase M, carboxypeptidases A and B, leucine-aminopeptidase, deoxyribonuclease 1, ribonuclease T.sub.1 +A, acid phosphatase or alkali phosphatase;
• it does not influence induction of liver tyrosine transaminase in adrenalectomized rat when administered alone nor does it influence such induction by glycagon or insulin;
• it indicates an amplifying action on the induction of tyrosine transaminase by glycocorticoid in an in vitro system using the liver of an adrenalectomized rat under the perfusion method when added to the system prior to or at the same time as the administration of glucocorticoid;
• it is stable for more than 6 months at -20.degree. C;
• it is stable for minimum 48 hours in a buffer solution having a pH of 4.2-9 at 37.degree. C.;
• it is deactivated to form reducing sugar when heated at 105.degree. C. for 12 hours in 6N hydrochloric acid;
• it has shoulder at 265 nm in untraviolet absorption spectrum and, after purification in a proper manner, a sharp peak appears at the same wavelength;
• and
• it has an Rf of about 0.16 as measured by ascending method using filter paper and acetic acid-n-butanol-water (3:12:5, v/v) as a developing agent.