Sulfonation and Antioxidative Evaluation of Polysaccharides from Pleurotus Mushroom and Streptococcus thermophilus Bacteria: A Review

Structural relationship of regioselectively-sulfonated botryosphaeran derivatives on activity against herpes simplex virus type 1

The bioactivities of sulfonated polysaccharides are frequently related to their substitution pattern. In this study, the regioselective sulfonation of an exocellular fungal (1→3)(1→6)-β-D-glucan (botryosphaeran) was performed by two different methods: mild sulfonation (MS) and via pivaloyl ester (PS), in order to study the influence of the sulfonation pattern on the antiviral activity of the respective derivatives. Two sulfonated derivatives with substitution degrees of 0.82 (MS) and 0.49 (PS) were obtained, with substitution patterns at positions C-6, and C-2/C-4 of the glucose units, respectively. All derivatives were chemically characterized and evaluated for antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) KOS strain, and dengue type 2 (DENV-2). The sample sulfonated at positions C-6 (MS) showed a remarkable antiviral effect on HSV-1 (IC50 of 5.38 μg mL1), while PS remained inactive. The investigation of the mode of action of sample MS pointed to the inhibition of HSV-1 adsorption to the host cells. Both samples were inactive towards the dengue virus strain. This study demonstrated that the presence of sulfate groups at the C-6 positions of botryosphaeran is the preferred substitution pattern that enables the antiviral activity towards HSV-1.

Advances in sulfonated modification and bioactivity of polysaccharides

Polysaccharides, as biological macromolecules, are widely found in plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria and exhibit various biological activities. However, many natural polysaccharides exhibit low or non-existent biological activities because of their high molecular weights and poor water solubility, limiting their application in many fields. Sulfonation is one of the most effective chemical modification methods to improve physicochemical properties and biological activities of natural polysaccharides or even impart natural polysaccharides with new biological activities. Therefore, sulfonated polysaccharides have attracted increasing attention because of their antioxidant, anticoagulant, antiviral, and immunomodulatory properties. This paper reviews the recent advances in the sulfonation of polysaccharides, including preparation, characterization, and biological activities of sulfonated polysaccharides, and provides a theoretical basis for wide applications of sulfonated polysaccharides.

Purification, Structural Characterization, and Antitumor Activity of a Polysaccharide from Perilla Seeds

A previous study found that a crude Perilla seed polysaccharide (PFSP) fraction exhibited obviously antitumor activity; however, the structural characterization and antitumor properties of this polysaccharide remain unclear. In this study, the PFSP was extracted and purified via combined column chromatography, and the structure of a single polysaccharide fraction was characterized by methylation, IC, GC-MS, NMR, and AFM. The results demonstrated that the efficient antitumor polysaccharide fraction PFSP-2-1 was screened from PFSP with a relative molecular weight of 8.81 × 106 Da. The primary structure of the PFSP main chain was →1)-Araf-(5→, →1,3)-Galp-(6→, →1)-Galp-(6→, →1,3)-Araf-(5→ and →1)-Xylp-(4→, and that of the side chains was →1)-Arap, →1,3)-Galp-(6→, →1)-Araf and →1)-Glcp-(4→, →1)-Galp-(3→ and →1)-Glcp, leading to a three-dimensional helical structure. CCK-8 experiments revealed that PFSP-2-1 significantly inhibited the growth of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro (p < 0.05), and its inhibitory effect positively correlation with the concentration of PFSP-2-1, and when the concentration of PFSP-2-1 was 1600 µg/mL, it showed the highest inhabitation rate on three hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG-2, Hep3b, and SK-Hep-1), for which the survival rates of HepG-2, Hep3b, and SK-Hep-1 were 53.34%, 70.33%, and 71.06%. This study clearly elucidated the structure and antitumor activity of PFSP-2-1, which lays a theoretical foundation for revealing the molecular mechanism of antitumor activity of Perilla seed polysaccharides and provides an important theoretical basis for the development of high-value Perilla.

Advances in Polysaccharide Production Based on the Co-Culture of Microbes

Microbial polysaccharides are natural carbohydrates that can confer adhesion capacity to cells and protect them from harsh environments. Due to their various physiological activities, these macromolecules are widely used in food, medicine, environmental, cosmetic, and textile applications. Microbial co-culture is an important strategy that is used to increase the production of microbial polysaccharides or produce new polysaccharides (structural alterations). This is achieved by exploiting the symbiotic/antagonistic/chemo-sensitive interactions between microbes and stimulating the expression of relevant silent genes. In this article, we review the performance of polysaccharides produced using microbial co-culture in terms of yield, antioxidant activity, and antibacterial, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to the advantages and application prospects of co-culture. Moreover, the potential for microbial polysaccharides to be used in various applications is discussed.

Sulfur functionality-modified starches: Review of synthesis strategies, properties, and applications

Starch is the second most abundant naturally-occurring polymer after cellulose that possess superior physicochemical and biological features with numerous practical applications ranging from industrial to biomedical. Despite, native starch suffer from some drawbacks, including difficult processability, low shear and thermal stability, weak mechanical properties, and tendency to easily retrograde and undergo syneresis. Therefore, modification of native starch is necessary for circumvent the above-mentioned problems and expanding application ranges. This natural polymer can be modified using chemical, physical, enzymatic, and genetic engineering strategies. Amongst, chemical approaches have received more attention owing to enhancing physicochemical and biological features that lead to higher performance than those of the other strategies. In this context, incorporation of sulfur functionality-containing groups (sulfonation and sulfation) can be considered as an efficient approach due to significant enhancement in physiochemical properties, including zeta potential (move to negative values), molecular weight, processiability (e.g., solubility and meltability), and rheology. Furthermore, this strategy can modified some biological features, such as hemocompatibility, protein sorption, biostability, adhesion and proliferation of numerous cells, antithrombogenicity, antiinflammatory, antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, anticoagulant and antifouling properties. Accordingly, this review highlight's the synthesis strategies, physiochemical and biological properties, as well as applications of sulfur functionality-modified starches in numerous practical fields.

The potential of Streptococcus thermophiles (TCI633) in the anti-aging

BACKGROUND

Streptococcus thermophilus (TCI633) is a probiotic that has been newly isolated from human breast milk, and it can produce hyaluronic acid (HA) when colonizing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of rodents and humans. A recent study has the established that TCI633 can alleviate synovial tissue inflammation and has potential to mitigate the progression of osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE

TCI633 has not been available for use in skincare and this preliminary clinical study will assess its improvement of the skin.

METHODS

In this study, DNA protection, Hyaluronidase assay, cell viability, and collagen synthesis on human fibroblasts of TCI633 were assessed. Subjects were enrolled in this clinical study and randomly assigned to the TCI633 or placebo group. Each subject was informed to intake two tablets daily for 8 weeks. Each subject was required to undergo skin condition inspection at weeks 0, 4, and 8 and hematology tests to monitor HA, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase levels, and kidney and liver function at weeks 0 and 8.

RESULTS

The effects of TCI633 supplementation, including the promotion of skin cell proliferation, the increase of their collagen content, their protection against DNA damage, and the inhibition of hyaluronidase activities, are investigated. Subjects were recruited for an 8-week long clinical trial to confirm the efficacy of TCI633 in improving the serum biochemical HA, SOD and catalase levels, and anti-skin age markers.

CONCLUSIONS

This work provides an alternative approach to improving health, indicating the potential of TCI633 supplementation to delay the aging of skin and improve its condition.

Biological activities of Pleurotus spp. polysaccharides: A review

Mushrooms are consumed for their nutrients and therapeutic bioactive compounds and are used medicinally in Chinese and Japanese medicine traditions since time immemorial. Members of the genus Pleurotus form a heterogeneous group of edible species with outstanding nutritional profiles rich in fiber, vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, ascorbic acid, ergosterine, and niacin), micro and macro-elements (phosphorus and iron), and carbohydrates. Pleurotus is one of the most diversified medicinal and edible mushrooms related to the composition of chemical structures such as polysaccharides, glycoproteins, and secondary metabolites such as alkaloids and betalains. The cultivation of Pleurotus spp. on lignocellulosic wastes represents one of the most economically and cost-effective organic recycling processes, especially for the utilization of different feasible and cheap recyclable residues. Also, several Pleurotus spp. have the ability to remove phenolic compounds from wastewater with the action of phenoloxidase activity. Here, we have reviewed the chemistry of such polysaccharides and their reported biological activities, namely, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, antioxidant, etc. The mechanism of action and effects of novel polysaccharides extracted from various species of Pleurotus have been studied. The current study will be beneficial for guiding future research projects on the above concept and investigating more deeply the health of human beings. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Mushrooms are one of the most delicious foods around the globe and have many medicinal properties for decades. Various Pleurotus species have been in focus in recent years because of their palatability and medicinal importance too. It contains many bioactive compounds among which polysaccharides are valued to a great extent. Many biological activities are exerted by polysaccharides derived from the Pleurotus spp., namely, anti-tumor, antioxidant, and many more. They are responsible for significant physiological responses in animals, animal-alternative in vitro models, and humans. Their important physicochemical characteristics benefit their use in the food industry as well. So, the biological activities of these Pleurotus spp. polysaccharides will provide an insight to develop Pleurotus spp. as functional foods, because of their nutritional value and presence of bioactive components.

Hydrogel-Forming Algae Polysaccharides: From Seaweed to Biomedical Applications

With the increasing growth of the algae industry and the development of algae biorefinery, there is a growing need for high-value applications of algae-extracted biopolymers. The utilization of such biopolymers in the biomedical field can be considered as one of the most attractive applications but is challenging to implement. Historically, polysaccharides extracted from seaweed have been used for a long time in biomedical research, for example, agarose gels for electrophoresis and bacterial culture. To overcome the current challenges in polysaccharides and help further the development of high-added-value applications, an overview of the entire polysaccharide journey from seaweed to biomedical applications is needed. This encompasses algae culture, extraction, chemistry, characterization, processing, and an understanding of the interactions of soft matter with living organisms. In this review, we present algae polysaccharides that intrinsically form hydrogels: alginate, carrageenan, ulvan, starch, agarose, porphyran, and (nano)cellulose and classify these by their gelation mechanisms. The focus of this review further lays on the culture and extraction strategies to obtain pure polysaccharides, their structure-properties relationships, the current advances in chemical backbone modifications, and how these modifications can be used to tune the polysaccharide properties. The available techniques to characterize each organization scale of a polysaccharide hydrogel are presented, and the impact on their interactions with biological systems is discussed. Finally, a perspective of the anticipated development of the whole field and how the further utilization of hydrogel-forming polysaccharides extracted from algae can revolutionize the current algae industry are suggested.