In vivo immunostimulatory and tumor-inhibitory activities of polysaccharides isolated from solid-state-cultured Trametes robiniophila Murrill

Rapid recovery of high content phytosterols from corn silk

Background

Phytosterols have important physiological and officinal function.

Methods

An efficient ultrasonic assisted extraction, purification and crystallization procedure of phytosterols was established from corn silk for the first time.

Results

The orthogonal test was applied to optimize the process parameters and a maximum phytosterols recovery as high as 10.5886 mg/g was achieved by ultrasonic treatment for 55 min with liquid–solid ratio of 12:1 at 35 °C, 220 w. The ultrasonic extraction temperature (T, °C) has the most significant effect on extraction yield of phytosterols. An orthogonal crystallization test was performed and the optimal conditions [crystallization temperature of 8 °C, time of 12 h and solid–liquid ratio of 1:1 (g/ml)] afforded maximum phytosterols purity of 92.76 ± 0.43%.

Conclusions

An efficient extraction and crystallization procedure was established.

Tricholoma matsutake Aqueous Extract Induces Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Apoptosis via Caspase-Dependent Mitochondrial Pathway

Tricholoma matsutake, one of widely accepted functional mushrooms, possesses various pharmacological activities, and its antitumor effect has become an important research point. Our study aims to evaluate the cytotoxicity activities of T. matsutake aqueous extract (TM) in HepG2 and SMMC-7721 cells. In in vitro experiments, TM strikingly reduced cell viability, promoted cell apoptosis, inhibited cell migration ability, induced excessive generation of ROS, and caused caspases cascade and mitochondrial membrane potential dissipation in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. In in vivo experiments, 14-day TM treatment strongly suppressed tumor growth in HepG2 and SMMC-7721-xenografted nude mice without influence on their body weights and liver function. Furthermore, TM increased the levels of cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP), Bad, and Bax and reduced the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in treated cells and tumor tissues. All aforementioned results suggest that caspase-dependent mitochondrial apoptotic pathways are involved in TM-mediated antihepatocellular carcinoma.

A polysaccharide from the fungi of Huaier exhibits anti-tumor potential and immunomodulatory effects

A neutral water-soluble polysaccharide (W-NTRP), with a molecular weight of 2.5 × 10(4)Da, was isolated from the fruit bodies of Trametes robiniophila (Huaier). Gas chromatography (GC) results indicated that W-NTRP was determined to be galactose (Gal), arabinose (Ara) and glucose (Glc), with a relative molar ratio of 4.2:2.5:0.7. Its antitumor and immunomodulatory activity were evaluated in vitro. W-NTRP showed remarkable inhibitory effect on three human cholangiocarcinoma cell lines (QBC939, Sk-ChA-1 and MZ-ChA-1), with respective IC(50) values of 47.8, 75.9, and 43.7 μg/mL, but had no cytotoxicity to L-929 normal cells. Furthermore, W-NTRP had proliferation promoting effect on mouse splenocytes with or without concanavalin A (ConA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a bell-shaped dose-response manner. In addition, W-NTRP could prominently stimulate macrophages to produce nitric oxide (NO) through the up-regulation of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) activity. These results suggest that W-NTRP could be explored as a potential antitumor agent for cholangiocarcinoma.

Immunomodulatory effect of polysaccharides from submerged cultured Cordyceps gunnii

CONTEXT

The genus Cordyceps (Clavicipitaceae) is a group of entomopathogenic fungi that is widely used as tonic food or invigorant with broad-spectrum medicinal properties in China. Cordyceps gunnii (Berk.)Berk (C. gunnii), is also well known as the Chinese rare caterpillar fungus and has similar pharmacological activities with Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis). Polysaccharides (PS) from various Cordyceps species have demonstrated many interesting biological activities, including antitumor, immunopotentiation, hypoglycemic, and hypocholesterolemic activities.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of C. gunnii PS on the immunostimulatory antitumor function and expression of immune related cytokines in normal, immuno-suppressive, and H22-bearing mice, respectively.

METHODS

C. gunnii PS were extracted with hot water at 80°C for 2 h. Normal, immuno-suppressive, and H22-bearing mice were treated with PS respectively. By detecting the value of macrophage phagocytic index, proliferation of lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cell activity and expression of related cytokines, interleukin (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-a) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor inhibition index in H22-bearing mice additionally, the effect of PS on immunostimulatory antitumor function and its mechanism were studied.

RESULTS

The total sugar content of the PS was determined to be 95% after purification. PS markedly increased the thymus and spleen indexes, the macrophage phagocytosis, the proliferation of splenic cells, and the level of IFN-γ and TNF-α. In tumor growth inhibition test, PS showed remarkable inhibition effects.

CONCLUSION

PS from the C. gunnii could enhance nonspecific immunological function, humoral immunity, cellular immunity in mice, and inhibit tumor growth.

Optimized extraction of polysaccharides from corn silk by pulsed electric field and response surface quadratic design

BACKGROUND

Corn silk is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, which has been widely used for treatment of some diseases. In this study the effects of pulsed electric field on the extraction of polysaccharides from corn silk were investigated.

RESULTS

Polysaccharides in corn silk were extracted by pulsed electric field and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM), based on a Box-Behnken design (BBD). Three independent variables, including electric field intensity (kV cm(-1) ), ratio of liquid to raw material and pulse duration (µs), were investigated. The experimental data were fitted to a second-order polynomial equation and also profiled into the corresponding 3-D contour plots. Optimal extraction conditions were as follows: electric field intensity 30 kV cm(-1) , ratio of liquid to raw material 50, and pulse duration 6 µs. Under these condition, the experimental yield of extracted polysaccharides was 7.31% ± 0.15%, matching well with the predicted value.

CONCLUSION

The results showed that a pulsed electric field could be applied to extract value-added products from foods and/or agricultural matrix.