Fungal polysaccharides

A structure-functionality insight into the bioactivity of microbial polysaccharides toward biomedical applications: A review

Microbial polysaccharides (MPs) are biopolymers secreted by microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi during their metabolic processes. Compared to polysaccharides derived from plants and animals, MPs have advantages such as wide sources, high production efficiency, and less susceptibility to natural environmental influences. The most attractive feature of MPs lies in their diverse biological activities, such as antioxidative, anti-tumor, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory activities, which have demonstrated immense potential for applications in functional foods, cosmetics, and biomedicine. These bioactivities are precisely regulated by their sophisticated molecular structure. However, the mechanisms underlying this precise regulation are not yet fully understood and continue to evolve. This article presents a comprehensive review of the most representative species of MPs, including their fermentation and purification processes and their biomedical applications in recent years. In particular, this work presents an in-depth analysis into the structure-activity relationships of MPs across multiple molecular levels. Additionally, this review discusses the challenges and prospects of investigating the structure-activity relationships, providing valuable insights into the broad and high-value utilization of MPs.

LW-1 induced resistance to TMV in tobacco was mediated by nitric oxide and salicylic acid pathway

The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism underlying LW-1-induced resistance to TMV in wild-type and salicylic acid (SA)-deficient NahG transgenic tobacco plants. Our findings revealed that LW-1 failed to induce antivirus infection activity and increase SA content in NahG tobacco, indicating the crucial role of SA in these processes. Meanwhile, LW-1 triggered defense-related early-signaling nitric oxide (NO) generation, as evidenced by the emergence of NO fluorescence in both types of tobacco upon treatment with LW-1, however, NO fluorescence was stronger in NahG compared to wild-type tobacco. Notably, both of them were eliminated by the NO scavenger cPTIO, which also reversed LW-1-induced antivirus activity and the increase of SA content, suggesting that NO participates in LW-1-induced resistance to TMV, and may act upstream of the SA pathway. Defense-related enzymes and genes were detected in tobacco with or without TMV inoculation, and the results showed that LW-1 regulated both enzyme activity (β-1,3-glucanase [GLU], catalase [CAT] and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase [PAL]) and gene expression (PR1, PAL, WYKY4) through NO signaling in both SA-dependent and SA-independent pathways.

Impacts of preparation technologies on biological activities of edible mushroom polysaccharides - novel insights for personalized nutrition achievement

Edible mushroom polysaccharides (EMPs) as a natural macromolecular carbohydrate have a very complex structure and composition. EMPs are considered ideal candidates for developing healthy products and functional foods and have received significant research attention due to their unique physiological activities such as immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor/cancer, gut microbiota regulation, metabolism improvement, and nervous system protection. The structure and monosaccharide composition of edible mushroom polysaccharides have an unknown relationship with their functional activity, which has not been widely studied. Therefore, we summarized the preparation techniques of EMPs and discussed the association between functional activity, preparation methods, structure and composition of EMPs, laying a theoretical foundation for the personalized nutritional achievements of EMP. We also establish the foundation for the further investigation and application of EMPs as novel functional foods and healthy products.

Effects of Cold Plasma Pretreatment on the Synthesis of Polysaccharide from Pleurotus ostreatus

Fungal polysaccharides have attracted wide attention because of their medical pharmaceutical and health care value. So far, many efforts have been made in strain improvement to produce polysaccharides on a large scale at low cost. Here, a novel cold plasma-induced strain improvement technology was employed to pretreat Pleurotus ostreatus CGMCC 5.374 by radio-frequency (RF) low-vacuum cold plasma (LVCP) for the purpose of obtaining a high-yield polysaccharide strain. The optimum pretreatment conditions including discharge power, treatment time, and working pressure were determined by single factor and orthogonal experiment in succession. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis was conducted to study the effects of RF-LVCP on cell metabolism and proliferation. Results showed that under the optimal condition of discharge power of 130 W, treatment time of 25 s and working pressure of 140 Pa, polysaccharide content in mycelium was increased by 3.16% after 6 days in comparison to the original strain. Transcriptome analysis showed that RF-LVCP is helpful for specific gene transcription profiles, Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathways, of which the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involve with the up-regulation of polysaccharide transport, physiology, synthesis and metabolism, as well as the down-regulation of polysaccharide hydrolysis and macromolecular degradation.

Novel therapeutic role of Ganoderma Polysaccharides in a septic mouse model - The key role of macrophages

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (G. PS) have been recognized for their immune-modulating properties. In this study, we investigated the impact of G. PS in a sepsis mouse model, exploring its effects on survival, inflammatory cytokines, Treg cell differentiation, bacterial load, organ dysfunction, and related pathways. We also probed the role of macrophages through chlorphosphon-liposome pretreatment. Using the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model, we categorized mice into normal, PBS, and G. PS injection groups. G. PS significantly enhanced septic mouse survival, regulated inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-17A, IL-6, IL-10), and promoted CD4+Foxp3+ Treg cell differentiation in spleens. Additionally, G. PS reduced bacterial load, mitigated organ damage, and suppressed the NF-κB pathway. In vitro, G. PS facilitated CD4+ T cell differentiation into Treg cells via the p-STAT5 pathway. Chlorphosphon-liposome pretreatment heightened septic mortality, bacterial load, biochemical markers, and organ damage, emphasizing macrophages' involvement. G. PS demonstrated significant protective effects in septic mice by modulating inflammatory responses, enhancing Treg cell differentiation, diminishing bacterial load, and inhibiting inflammatory pathways. These findings illuminate the therapeutic potential of G. PS in sepsis treatment.

Exopolysaccharides from agriculturally important microorganisms: Conferring soil nutrient status and plant health

A wide variety of microorganisms secretes extracellular polymeric substances or commonly known as exopolysaccharides (EPS), which have been studied to influence plant growth via various mechanisms. EPS-producing microorganisms have been found to have positive effects on plant health such as by facilitating nutrient entrapment in the soil, or by improving soil quality, especially by helping in mitigating various abiotic stress conditions. The various types of microbial polysaccharides allow for the compartmentalization of the microbial community enabling them to endure undressing stress conditions. With the growing population, there is a constant need for developing sustainable agriculture where we could use various PGPR to help the plant cope with various stress conditions and simultaneously enhance the crop yield. These polysaccharides have also found application in various sectors, especially in the biomedical fields, manifesting their potential to act as antitumor drugs, play a significant role in immune evasion, and reveal various therapeutic potentials. These constitute high levels of bioactive polysaccharides which possess a wide range of implementation starting from industrial applications to novel food applications. In this current review, we aim at presenting a comprehensive study of how these microbial extracellular polymeric substances influence agricultural productivity along with their other commercial applications.

The great potential of polysaccharides from natural resources in the treatment of asthma: A review

Despite significant progress in diagnosis and treatment, asthma remains a serious public health challenge. The conventional therapeutic drugs for asthma often have side effects and unsatisfactory clinical efficacy. Therefore, it is very urgent to develop new drugs to overcome the shortcomings of conventional drugs. Natural polysaccharides provide enormous resources for the development of drugs or health products, and they are receiving a lot of attention from scientists around the world due to their safety, effective anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory properties. Increasing evidence shows that polysaccharides have favorable biological activities in the respiratory disease, including asthma. This review provides an overview of primary literature on the recent advances of polysaccharides from natural resources in the treatment of asthma. The mechanisms and practicability of polysaccharides, including polysaccharides from plants, fungus, bacteria, alga, animals and others are reviewed. Finally, the further research of polysaccharides in the treatment of asthma are discussed. This review can provide a basis for further study of polysaccharides in the treatment of asthma and provides guidance for the development and clinical application of novel asthma treatment drugs.

Evaluation of Prebiotic Potential of Crude Polysaccharides Extracted from Wild Lentinus polychrous and Lentinus squarrosulus and Their Application for a Formulation of a Novel Lyophilized Synbiotic

Edible mushrooms, including wild mushrooms, are currently being investigated as natural sources to evaluate their prebiotic potential. This study aimed to evaluate the prebiotic potential of crude polysaccharides (CPSs) extracted from wild Lentinus squarrosulus UBU_LS1 and Lentinus polychrous UBU_LP2 and their application as cryoprotectants in the freeze-drying process to formulate a novel synbiotic product. Based on fruiting body morphology and molecular identification, two wild edible mushrooms named UBU_LS1 and UBU_LP2 were identified as Lentinus squarrosulus and Lentinus polychrous, respectively. L. squarrosulus UBU_LS1 and L. polychrous UBU_LP2 contained high amounts of CPS after hot water extraction. Monosaccharide component analysis showed that CPS_UBU_LS1 and CPS_UBU_LP2 were typical heteropolysaccharides. CPS_UBU_LS1 and CPS_UBU_LP2 showed hydrolysis tolerance to the simulated human gastric acidic pH solution, indicating that these CPSs are capable of reaching the lower gastrointestinal tract. Antioxidant activity determined using the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl assay revealed that the CPS_UBU_LS1 and CPS_UBU_LP2 displayed greater antioxidant activity comparable with that of ascorbic acid. It was found that CPS_UBU_LS1 and CPS_UBU_LP2 have a high potential for stimulating growth in all probiotic strains. Moreover, both CPS compounds could possibly be used as cryoprotectants in freeze drying, since the viability of the selected probiotic L. fermentum 47-7 exhibited cell survival of greater than 70% after 90 days of storage at 4 °C. These results highlight that wild edible mushrooms L. squarrosulus UBU_LS1 and L. polychrous UBU_LP2 are potential natural sources of prebiotics and can be applied as cryoprotectants in the freeze-drying process. The crude polysaccharide derived from this study could also be considered as a potent antioxidative compound. Therefore, our study provides evidence to support the application of CPSs from wild edible mushrooms in synbiotic product development and in various functional foods. Finally, further evaluation of these prebiotics, including the determination of the potential rehabilitation of beneficial gut microbes in diseased individuals, is currently being conducted by our research group.

Effect of Agaricus bisporus Polysaccharides (ABPs) on anti-CCV immune response of channel catfish

Herein, the effects of Agaricus bisporus Polysaccharides (ABPs) on anti-channel catfish virus (CCV) infections to promote their application in channel catfish culture were explored. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses were conducted on the spleen of a CCV-infected channel catfish model fed with or without ABPs. CCV infections upregulated many immune and apoptosis-related genes, such as IL-6, IFN-α3, IFN-γ1, IL-26, Casp3, Casp8, and IL-10, and activated specific immunity mediated by B cells. However, after adding ABPs, the expression of inflammation-related genes decreased in CCV-infected channel catfish, and the inflammatory inhibitors NLRC3 were upregulated. Meanwhile, the expression of apoptosis-related genes was reduced, indicating that ABPs can more rapidly and strongly enhance the immunity of channel catfish to resist viral infection. Moreover, the metabonomic analysis showed that channel catfish had a high energy requirement during CCV infection, and ABPs could enhance the immune function of channel catfish. In conclusion, ABPs can enhance the antiviral ability of channel catfish by enhancing immune response and regulating inflammation. Thus, these findings provided new insights into the antiviral response effects of ABPs, which might support their application in aquaculture.

Application of chromatography in purification and structural analysis of natural polysaccharides: A review

Polysaccharides are widely distributed in natural sources from monocytic microorganisms to higher animals, and are found in a variety of biological activities in recent decades. Natural polysaccharides have the characteristics of large molecular weight, diverse composition, and complex structure, so their purification and structural analysis are difficult issues in research. Chromatography as a powerful separation technique, plays an irreplaceable role in the separation and structural analysis of natural polysaccharides, especially in the purification of polysaccharides, the separation of hydrolysates, and the analysis of monosaccharide composition. The separation mechanisms and application of different chromatographic methods in the studies of polysaccharides were summarized in this review. Moreover, the advantages and drawbacks of various chromatography methods were discussed as well.

Potential Application of Marine Fucosyl-Polysaccharides in Regulating Blood Glucose and Hyperglycemic Complications

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become the world's third major disease after tumors and cardiovascular disease. With the exploitation of marine biological resources, the efficacy of using polysaccharides isolated from marine organisms in blood glucose regulation has received widespread attention. Some marine polysaccharides can reduce blood glucose by inhibiting digestive enzyme activity, eliminating insulin resistance, and regulating gut microbiota. These polysaccharides are mainly fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharides from algae and sea cucumbers. It follows that the hypoglycemic activity of marine fucosyl-polysaccharides is closely related to their structure, such as their sulfate group, monosaccharide composition, molecular weight and glycosidic bond type. However, the structure of marine fucosyl-polysaccharides and the mechanism of their hypoglycemic activity are not yet clear. Therefore, this review comprehensively covers the effects of marine fucosyl-polysaccharides sources, mechanisms and the structure-activity relationship on hypoglycemic activity. Moreover, the potential regulatory effects of fucosyl-polysaccharides on vascular complications caused by hyperglycemia are also summarized in this review. This review provides rationales for the activity study of marine fucosyl-polysaccharides and new insights into the high-value utilization of marine biological resources.

Synthesis, characterization, and cytotoxicity analysis of selenium nanoparticles stabilized by Morchella sextelata polysaccharide

Natural bioactive molecules have been widely used as stabilizers in the functional improvement of selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) in recent years. In this study, Morchella sextelata polysaccharide (MSP) was introduced as a novel stabilizer for the synthesis of SeNPs based on the redox system of sodium selenite and ascorbic acid. The size, morphology, stability, and anti-cancer cell activities were respectively analyzed by various methods. The results showed that the synthesized SeNPs with MSP were 72.07 ± 0.53 nm in size, red in color, spherical in shape, and amorphous in nature. MSP-SeNPs showed high scavenging activity against DPPH and ABTS radicals. And, these MSP-SeNPs exhibited a significant anti-proliferation effect on human liver (HepG2) and cervical cancer (Hela) cells in vitro, while no significant cytotoxicity against normal human kidney cells (HK-2) was observed. Moreover, the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis pathway triggered by MSP-SeNPs in HepG2 cell was identified. The expression levels of p53, Bax, cytochrome c, caspase-3 and caspase-9 were all up-regulated in HepG2 cells after MSP-SeNPs treatment, while Bcl-2 expression was down-regulated. These results suggest that MSP-SeNPs have strong potential as the food supplement for application in cancer chemoprevention.

Nutritional Value and Antioxidant, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Wild Macrofungi

Macrofungi are among the most promising sources of biologically active natural products with nutritional qualities and therapeutic values. In this work, the nutritional value of nine species of wild macrofungi from Ibague-Tolima (Colombia) was evaluated. In addition the antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of an ethanol:water (70:30) extract of wild basidiomata were evaluated. The wild mushrooms' nutritional potential showed that the genus Pleurotus and Lentinus have the best protein percentages, with 18.4% and 18.5%. The nine extracts evaluated managed to stabilize the two radicals evaluated; however, lower IC₅₀ was found for Phellinus gilvus and Ganoderma australe extracts. The results showed that Trametes coccinea, Pleurotus floridanus and Ganoderma australe extracts were the most effective as antimicrobials, with high inhibition percentages against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Antifungal activity results against Rhizopus oryzae, Penicillium sp. and Aspergillus niger showed that the nine extracts were effective at the concentrations tested. Considering cell viability against isolated leukocytes, seven of the nine extracts showed percentages higher than 50% of cell viability. This research describes the nutritional value of nine wild macrofungi in Colombia and their potential for antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antioxidant activity.

Polysaccharides Derived from Mushrooms in Immune and Antitumor Activity: A Review

Mushrooms are full of nutrition and have beneficial properties for human health. Polysaccharides are the main component of edible and medicinal mushrooms, especially β-glucans, which have attracted much more attention for their complex structure and diverse biological activities. Among all the diverse medicinal activities of mushroom polysaccharides, antitumor and immune-enhancing activities are two excellent bioactivities that have much more potential and deserve application. Their bioactivities are highly dependent on their structural features, including molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, degree of branching, type and configuration of glycosidic bonds, substituent pattern, and chain conformation. This review summarizes the current method for obtaining polysaccharides from mushrooms, chemical characterizations of the structures and their roles in immune and antitumor activities. In addition, the methods for preparation of the polysaccharide derivatives and the potential medicinal clinical application are also discussed in this review, which may provide new guidance for mushroom polysaccharide development.

An updated review on the stability of anthocyanins regarding the interaction with food proteins and polysaccharides

The health benefits of anthocyanins are compromised by their chemical instability and susceptibility to external stress. Researchers found that the interaction between anthocyanins and macromolecular components such as proteins and polysaccharides substantially determines the stability of anthocyanins during food processing and storage. The topic thus has attracted much attention in recent years. This review underlines the new insights gained in our current study of physical and chemical properties and functional properties in complex food systems. It examines the interaction between anthocyanins and food proteins or polysaccharides by focusing on the "structure-stability" relationship. Furthermore, multispectral and molecular computing simulations are used as the chief instruments to explore the interaction's mechanism. During processing and storage, the stability of anthocyanins is generally influenced by the adverse characteristics of food and beverage, including temperature, light, oxygen, enzymes, pH. While the action modes and types between protein/polysaccharide and anthocyanins mainly depend on their structures, the noncovalent interaction between them is the key intermolecular force that increases the stability of anthocyanins. Our goal is to provide the latest understanding of the stability of anthocyanins under food processing conditions and further improve their utilization in food industries. Practical Application: This review provides support for the steady-state protection of active substances.

Polysaccharides: Sources, Characteristics, Properties, and Their Application in Biodegradable Films

Biodegradable films emerge as alternative biomaterials to conventional packaging from fossil sources, which, in addition to offering protection and increasing the shelf life of food products, are ecologically sustainable. The materials mostly used in their formulation are based on natural polysaccharides, plasticizing agents, and bioactive components (e.g., antimicrobial agents or antioxidants). The formulation of biodegradable films from polysaccharides and various plasticizers represents an alternative for primary packaging that can be assigned to specific food products, which opens the possibility of having multiple options of biodegradable films for the same product. This review describes the main characteristics of the most abundant polysaccharides in nature and highlights their role in the formulation of biodegradable films. The compilation and discussion emphasize studies that report on the mechanical and barrier properties of biodegradable films when made from pure polysaccharides and when mixed with other polysaccharides and plasticizing agents.

The phagocytic receptors of β-glucan

Phagocytosis is a cellular process maintaining tissue balance and plays an essential role in initiating the innate immune response. The process of phagocytosis was triggered by the binding of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMP) with their cell surface receptors on the phagocytes. These receptors not only perform phagocytic functions, but also bridge the gap between extracellular and intracellular communication, leading to signal transduction and the production of inflammatory mediators, which are crucial for clearing the invading pathogens and maintaining cell homeostasis. For the past few years, the application of β-glucan comes down to immunoregulation and anti-tumor territory. As a well-known PAMP, β-glucan is one of the most abundant polysaccharides in nature. By binding to specific receptors on immune cells and activating intracellular signal transduction pathways, it causes phagocytosis and promotes the release of cytokines. Further retrieval and straightening out literature related to β-glucan phagocytic receptors will help better elucidate their immunomodulatory functions. This review attempts to summarize physicochemical properties and specific processes involved in β-glucan induced phagocytosis, its phagocytic receptors, and cascade events triggered by β-glucan at the cellular and molecular levels.

Optimization of heavy metal (lead) remedial activities of fungi Aspergillus penicillioides (F12) through extra cellular polymeric substances

Wastewater imposes a great threat to any ecosystem across the world, especially the aquatic one because of the different anthropogenic activities of human beings. The present study emphasizes the optimization of ecological parameters [pH, time (h) and temperature (°C)] employing Box-Behnken design (BBD) to achieve better bio-adsorption of a selected heavy metal [lead (Pb II)] from the wastewater through an extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) of a benthic fungus, Aspergillus penicillioides (F12) (MN210327). The relevant statistical analysis (ANOVA) has enabled to record of the optimized bio-adsorption (73.14 %) of lead (Pb II) by fungal EPS at pH (8.85) and temperature (32 °C) for a duration of 5.74 h. Besides that, at the concentration of 0.5 mg/L of EPS, the flocculating rate was noted to be highest (88.4 %) in kaolin clay and the 50 % emulsifying activity. This investigation has also opened up new vistas on the possibility of the development of an alternative method of eco-sustainable bioremediation of heavy metals by fungal EPS on an industrial scale.

Beta-Glucans from Fungi: Biological and Health-Promoting Potential in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

Beta-glucans comprise a group of polysaccharides of natural origin found in bacteria, algae, and plants, e.g., cereal seeds, as well as microfungi and macrofungi (mushrooms), which are characterized by diverse structures and functions. They are known for their metabolic and immunomodulatory properties, including anticancer, antibacterial, and antiviral. Recent reports suggest a potential of beta-glucans in the prevention and treatment of COVID-19. In contrast to β-glucans from other sources, β-glucans from mushrooms are characterized by β-1,3-glucans with short β-1,6-side chains. This structure is recognized by receptors located on the surface of immune cells; thus, mushroom β-glucans have specific immunomodulatory properties and gained BRM (biological response modifier) status. Moreover, mushroom beta-glucans also owe their properties to the formation of triple helix conformation, which is one of the key factors influencing the bioactivity of mushroom beta-glucans. This review summarizes the latest findings on biological and health-promoting potential of mushroom beta-glucans for the treatment of civilization and viral diseases, with particular emphasis on COVID-19.

Immune activities of polysaccharides isolated from Lycium barbarum L. What do we know so far?

Lycium barbarum is widely used as a functional food and medicinal herb to promote health and longevity in China and in some other Asian countries. In modern pharmacological and chemical studies, the most valuable and well-researched component of L. barbarum is a group of unique water-soluble glycoconjugates that are collectively termed Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs). Numerous modern pharmacological studies have revealed that LBPs possess antiaging, antidiabetic, antifibrotic, neuroprotective, and immunomodulation properties, while the immunomodulatory effect is primary and is involved in other activities. However, due to their structural heterogeneity and lack of chromophores, it has long been unclear how LBPs work on the immune system. A few studies have recently provided some insights into the proposed mode of action of LBPs, such as structure-activity relationships, receptor recognition, and gut microbiota modulation of LBPs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the immunoregulating properties of LBPs and their related mechanisms of action.

Mushroom Nutrition as Preventative Healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa

The defining characteristics of the traditional Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) cuisine have been the richness in indigenous foods and ingredients, herbs and spices, fermented foods and beverages, and healthy and whole ingredients used. It is crucial to safeguard the recognized benefits of mainstream traditional foods and ingredients, which gradually eroded in the last decades. Notwithstanding poverty, chronic hunger, malnutrition, and undernourishment in the region, traditional eating habits have been related to positive health outcomes and sustainability. The research prevailed dealing with food availability and access rather than the health, nutrition, and diet quality dimensions of food security based on what people consume per country and on the missing data related to nutrient composition of indigenous foods. As countries become more economically developed, they shift to “modern” occidental foods rich in saturated fats, salt, sugar, fizzy beverages, and sweeteners. As a result, there are increased incidences of previously unreported ailments due to an unbalanced diet. Protein-rich foods in dietary guidelines enhance only those of animal or plant sources, while rich protein sources such as mushrooms have been absent in these charts, even in developed countries. This article considers the valorization of traditional African foodstuffs and ingredients, enhancing the importance of establishing food-based dietary guidelines per country. The crux of this review highlights the potential of mushrooms, namely some underutilized in the SSA, which is the continent’s little exploited gold mine as one of the greatest untapped resources for feeding and providing income for Africa’s growing population, which could play a role in shielding Sub-Saharan Africans against the side effects of an unhealthy stylish diet.

Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity of α-d-mannan from Pseudozyma sp

Pseudozyma sp. are yeasts that are commercially important due to their production of glycolipid biosurfactants, squalene, itaconic acid, and exopolysaccharide. The search for other analgesia inducing drugs, such as opiates and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as alternatives is beneficial. In this study, the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory actions of α-d-mannan were studied using acetic acid-induced writhing, open field test, formalin test, and carrageenan-induced paw oedema tests in mice. The α-d-mannan obtained from Pseudozyma sp. was confirmed by methylation analysis, 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, and GC-MS. The results show that α-d-mannan from Pseudozyma sp. has analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-020-02635-1.

The Inhibitory Effects of Hericium erinaceus β-glucan on in vitro Starch Digestion

β-glucan has attracted extensive attention due to its health promoting effects, such as lowering the blood sugar and lipids levels, and enhancing immunity. In this study, three different β-glucans (HEBG-1, HEBG-2, HEBG-3) were obtained from Hericium erinaceus by sodium hydroxide, β-1,3-glucanase and β-1,6-glucanase, respectively. The effects of the glucans on in vitro digestion of wheat starch were investigated by Englyst method. We found that addition of HEBGs significantly reduced the digestibility of starch, showing as decreased RDS and pGI, and increased SDS and RS content. In addition, the inhibitory effects positively correlated with the molecular weight of HEBG. The triple helix structure in HEBG plays important roles in inhibiting starch digestion. And β-1,3- glucan showed stronger inhibitor effects than those of β-1,6- glucan. This study unravels the mechanism of HEBG on inhibition of starch digestion and provides a theoretical understanding for the application of edible mushroom β-glucan to the development of low glycemic index starchy foods.

Evaluation of Polish wild Mushrooms as Beta-Glucan Sources

Mushroom beta-glucans show immunomodulatory, anticancer and antioxidant features. Numerous papers have been published in the last years on fungal polysaccharides, especially beta-glucans, demonstrating their various biological activities. However substantial data about beta-glucan contents in many mushroom species, especially wild mushrooms, are still missing. Therefore, the main objective of the study was to evaluate β-glucans in 18 species of wild mushrooms and three species of commercial mushrooms for comparison purposes. The contents of β-glucans were determined by the Megazyme method and with the Congo red method, which differ in analytical procedure. Among wild mushrooms, the highest mean β-glucan content assessed with the Megazyme method was found in Tricholoma portentosum (34.97 g/100 g DM), whereas with the Congo red method in Lactarius deliciosus (17.11 g/100 g DM) and Suillus grevillei (16.97 g/100 g DM). The β-glucans in wild mushrooms assessed with the Megazyme method were comparable to commercial mushrooms, whereas β-glucans assessed with the Congo red method were generally higher in wild mushrooms, especially in Russula vinosa, L. deliciosus and S. grevillei. This study indicates wild mushrooms as interesting material for β-glucan extraction for food industry and medicinal purposes.

Immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides from Ganoderma on immune effector cells

Polysaccharides are the most abundant bioactive compounds in Ganoderma and have been widely used as dietary supplements in traditional Chinese medicine for thousands of years. Polysaccharides from Ganoderma exhibit unique biological properties, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities. Herein, the sources and structures of polysaccharides from Ganoderma were presented. This work also reviews the immunomodulatory activities and possible mechanisms of polysaccharides from Ganoderma on different immune effector cells, including lymphocytes and myeloid cells. As an available adjunctive remedy, polysaccharides from Ganoderma can potentially be applied for the modulation of the host immune system, namely the innate immunity, the cellular immunity, and the humoral immunity.