The present invention relates to a Bifidobacterium bifidum inducing regulatory T cells (Treg), a polysaccharide derived from Bifidobacterium bifidum, and a probiotic strain producing a polysaccharide and, more particularly, a polysaccharide containing β-1-6-glucan as an effective ingredient, a probiotic strain producing β-1-6-glucan, a food comprising the polysaccharide or strain as an effective ingredient for alleviation of immune disease or inflammatory disease, a therapeutic agent comprising the polysaccharide or strain as an effective ingredient for alleviation of immune disease or inflammatory disease, a method for preparing induced regulatory T cells (iTreg) by treatment with the polysaccharide or strain, and a cell therapy product for prevention or treatment of immune disease or inflammatory disease, comprising the induced regulatory T cells prepared by the method.

The invention provides a process for preparing a conjugate of a S. aureus type 8 capsular polysaccharide and a carrier molecule, comprising the steps of: (a) depolymerising the capsular polysaccharide, to give a polysaccharide fragment; (b) oxidising the fragment in order to introduce an aldehyde group into at least one saccharide residue in the fragment, to give an oxidised saccharide residue; and (c) coupling the oxidised saccharide residue to a carrier molecule via the aldehyde group, thereby giving the conjugate. The coupling in step (c) may be direct, or may be via a linker molecule. The invention also provides a conjugate obtained or obtainable by this process.

The present invention relates to a Bifidobacterium bifidum inducing regulatory T cells (Treg), a polysaccharide derived from Bifidobacterium bifidum, and a probiotic strain producing a polysaccharide and, more particularly, a polysaccharide containing -1-6-glucan as an effective ingredient, a probiotic strain producing -1-6-glucan, a food comprising the polysaccharide or strain as an effective ingredient for alleviation of immune disease or inflammatory disease, a therapeutic agent comprising the polysaccharide or strain as an effective ingredient for alleviation of immune disease or inflammatory disease, a method for preparing induced regulatory T cells (iTreg) by treatment with the polysaccharide or strain, and a cell therapy product for prevention or treatment of immune disease or inflammatory disease, comprising the induced regulatory T cells prepared by the method.

Precipitated bacterial capsular polysaccharides can be efficiently re-solubilised using alcohols as solvents. The invention provides a process for purifying a bacterial capsular polysaccharide, comprising the steps of (a) precipitation of said polysaccharide, followed by (b) solubilisation of the precipitated polysaccharide using ethanol. CTAB can be used for step (a). The material obtained, preferably following hydrolysis and sizing, can be conjugated to a carrier protein and formulated as a vaccine. Also, in vaccines comprising saccharides from both serogroups A and C, the invention provides that the ratio (w/w) of Men A saccharide:MenC saccharide is >1.

The invention provides a process for preparing a conjugate of a S.aureus type 5 or type 8 capsular polysaccharide and a carrier molecule, comprising the steps of: (a) depolymerising the capsular polysaccharide, to give a polysaccharide fragment; (b) oxidising the fragment in order to introduce an aldehyde group into at least one saccharide residue in the fragment, to give an oxidised saccharide residue; and (c) coupling the oxidised saccharide residue to a carrier molecule via the aldehyde group, thereby giving the conjugate. The coupling in step (c) may be direct, or may be via a linker molecule. The invention also provides a conjugate obtained or obtainable by this process.

Precipitated bacterial capsular polysaccharides can be efficiently re-solubilized using alcohols as solvents. The invention provides a process for purifying a bacterial capsular polysaccharide, comprising the steps of (a) precipitation of said polysaccharide, followed by (b) solubilization of the precipitated polysaccharide using ethanol. CTAB can be used for step (a). The material obtained, preferably following hydrolysis and sizing, can be conjugated to a carrier protein and formulated as a vaccine. Also, in vaccines comprising saccharides from both serogroups A and C, the invention provides that the ratio (w/w) of MenA saccharide:MenC saccharide is >1.

Precipitated bacterial capsular polysaccharides can be efficiently re-solubilized using alcohols as solvents. The invention provides a process for purifying a bacterial capsular polysaccharide, comprising the steps of (a) precipitation of said polysaccharide, followed by (b) solubilization of the precipitated polysaccharide using ethanol. CTAB can be used for step (a). The material obtained, preferably following hydrolysis and sizing, can be conjugated to a carrier protein and formulated as a vaccine. Also, in vaccines comprising saccharides from both serogroups A and C, the invention provides that the ratio (w/w) of MenA saccharide:MenC saccharide is >1.

Precipitated bacterial capsular polysaccharides can be efficiently re-solubilised using alcohols as solvents. The invention provides a process for purifying a bacterial capsular polysaccharide, comprising the steps of (a) precipitation of said polysaccharide, followed by (b) solubilisation of the precipitated polysaccharide using ethanol. CTAB can be used for step (a). The material obtained, preferably following hydrolysis and sizing, can be conjugated to a carrier protein and formulated as a vaccine. Also, in vaccines comprising saccharides from both serogroups A and C, the invention provides that the ratio (w/w) of Men A saccharide: MenC saccharide is >1.