Anti-inflammatory effect of the extract from fermented Asterina pectinifera with Cordyceps militaris mycelia in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages

Anti-inflammatory effect and mechanism of stytontriterpene D on RAW264.7 cells and zebrafish

Introduction

Stytontriterpene D ( STD ) is a compound isolated from dried resin of Styrax tonkinensis (Pierre) Craib ex Hartw. In this study, we explored the anti-inflammatory effect of STD in vitro and in vivo and examined its potential anti-inflammatory mechanism for the first time.

Methods

In vitro, we evaluated the toxicity of STD to RAW 264.7 cells using the CCK8 method and detected the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO) contents in cells using diacetyldichlorofluorescein (DCFH-DA) and the Griess method. We detected the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-κ), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and arginase-1 (ARG1) via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and measured the expression of related proteins in the NF-αB pathway via western blotting. The toxicity of STD to AB zebrafish was detected in vivo, and the recruitment of neutrophils and macrophages was evaluated in tail cut -induced and copper sulfate -induced zebrafish inflammation models. We used quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to study the expression of inflammation-related genes in zebrafish with inflammation induced by copper sulfate.

Results

In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells, STD decreased IL-6, IL-1β, NO, ROS, and TNF-α production, and increased the expression of IL-10 and ARG1 while also blocking inhibitory κBα (IκBα) phosphorylation and suppressing P65 nuclear translocation. STD also reduced the recruitment of inflammatory cells in zebrafish with inflammation induced by tail cutting and copper sulfate. STD not only reduced the copper sulfate-induced gene expression of zebrafish inflammatory factors, but it also inhibited the mRNA levels of NF-κB p65 and IκBα.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated that STD has an obvious anti-inflammatory effect, and its intrinsic molecular mechanism is possibly caused by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway and regulating the phenotypic changes of M1 and M2 macrophages. Thus, STD may play a potential role in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Immunopharmacological Insights into Cordyceps spp.: Harnessing Therapeutic Potential for Sepsis

Cordyceps spp. (CS), a well-known medicinal mushroom that belongs to Tibetan medicine and is predominantly found in the high altitudes in the Himalayas. CS is a rich reservoir of various bioactive substances including nucleosides, sterols flavonoids, peptides, and phenolic compounds. The bioactive compounds and CS extract have antibacterial, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and inflammatory properties in addition to organ protection properties across a range of disease states. The study aimed to review the potential of CS, a medicinal mushroom, as a treatment for sepsis. While current sepsis drugs have side effects, CS shows promise due to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antibacterial properties. We have performed an extensive literature search based on published original and review articles in Scopus and PubMed. The keywords used were Cordyceps, sepsis, and inflammation. Studies indicate that CS extract and bioactive compounds target free radicals including oxidative as well as nitrosative stress, lower inflammation, and modulate the immune system, all of which are critical components in sepsis. The brain, liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart are among the organs that CS extracts may be able to shield against harm during sepsis. Traditional remedies with anti-inflammatory and protective qualities, such as Cordyceps mushrooms, are promising in sepsis. However, more research including clinical trials is required to validate the usefulness of CS metabolites in terms of organ protection and fight infections in sepsis.

The natural sesquiterpene lactone inulicin suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory mediators via inhibiting NF-κB and AP-1 pathways in LPS-activated macrophages

OBJECTIVE

Inulicin is a sesquiterpene lactone in Inulae Flos which is clinically used for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, such as cough, sputum production and vomit. This study aimed to demonstrate the anti-inflammatory activity and the underlying mechanism of inulicin by using LPS-induced in vitro and in vivo models.

METHODS

LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages and mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) were used for evaluating the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity of inulicin, while endotoxemia mice were used for evaluating its in vivo action. Cytokines' levels were determined by ELISA. RT-qPCR and western blot were used for assaying the mRNA and protein levels of target genes. RAW264.7 macrophages transfected with reporter plasmid pNFκB-TA-luc or pAP1-TA-luc were used for assaying the activation of NF-κB or AP-1 signaling.

RESULTS

Inulicin significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of NO, IL-6, c-c motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) and IL-1β in both RAW264.7 cells and MPMs. Mechanism study indicated that it could suppress inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-6, CCL2 and IL-1β mRNA levels in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, inulicin inhibited IκBα phosphorylation and prevented the nuclear translocation of p65, thereby inactivating NF-κB signaling. Concurrently, it also inhibited AP-1 signaling through reducing the phosphorylation of JNK and ERK. In endotoxemia mice, a single intraperitoneal administration of inulicin could decrease the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in serum and peritoneal lavage fluid.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study demonstrates that inulicin possesses anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo, which suggests that inulicin might be a promising candidate for the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

What are the 100 most cited fungal genera?

The global diversity of fungi has been estimated between 2 to 11 million species, of which only about 155 000 have been named. Most fungi are invisible to the unaided eye, but they represent a major component of biodiversity on our planet, and play essential ecological roles, supporting life as we know it. Although approximately 20 000 fungal genera are presently recognised, the ecology of most remains undetermined. Despite all this diversity, the mycological community actively researches some fungal genera more commonly than others. This poses an interesting question: why have some fungal genera impacted mycology and related fields more than others? To address this issue, we conducted a bibliometric analysis to identify the top 100 most cited fungal genera. A thorough database search of the Web of Science, Google Scholar, and PubMed was performed to establish which genera are most cited. The most cited 10 genera are Saccharomyces, Candida, Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Trichoderma, Botrytis, Pichia, Cryptococcus and Alternaria. Case studies are presented for the 100 most cited genera with general background, notes on their ecology and economic significance and important research advances. This paper provides a historic overview of scientific research of these genera and the prospect for further research. Citation: Bhunjun CS, Chen YJ, Phukhamsakda C, Boekhout T, Groenewald JZ, McKenzie EHC, Francisco EC, Frisvad JC, Groenewald M, Hurdeal VG, Luangsa-ard J, Perrone G, Visagie CM, Bai FY, Błaszkowski J, Braun U, de Souza FA, de Queiroz MB, Dutta AK, Gonkhom D, Goto BT, Guarnaccia V, Hagen F, Houbraken J, Lachance MA, Li JJ, Luo KY, Magurno F, Mongkolsamrit S, Robert V, Roy N, Tibpromma S, Wanasinghe DN, Wang DQ, Wei DP, Zhao CL, Aiphuk W, Ajayi-Oyetunde O, Arantes TD, Araujo JC, Begerow D, Bakhshi M, Barbosa RN, Behrens FH, Bensch K, Bezerra JDP, Bilański P, Bradley CA, Bubner B, Burgess TI, Buyck B, Čadež N, Cai L, Calaça FJS, Campbell LJ, Chaverri P, Chen YY, Chethana KWT, Coetzee B, Costa MM, Chen Q, Custódio FA, Dai YC, Damm U, de Azevedo Santiago ALCM, De Miccolis Angelini RM, Dijksterhuis J, Dissanayake AJ, Doilom M, Dong W, Alvarez-Duarte E, Fischer M, Gajanayake AJ, Gené J, Gomdola D, Gomes AAM, Hausner G, He MQ, Hou L, Iturrieta-González I, Jami F, Jankowiak R, Jayawardena RS, Kandemir H, Kiss L, Kobmoo N, Kowalski T, Landi L, Lin CG, Liu JK, Liu XB, Loizides M, Luangharn T, Maharachchikumbura SSN, Makhathini Mkhwanazi GJ, Manawasinghe IS, Marin-Felix Y, McTaggart AR, Moreau PA, Morozova OV, Mostert L, Osiewacz HD, Pem D, Phookamsak R, Pollastro S, Pordel A, Poyntner C, Phillips AJL, Phonemany M, Promputtha I, Rathnayaka AR, Rodrigues AM, Romanazzi G, Rothmann L, Salgado-Salazar C, Sandoval-Denis M, Saupe SJ, Scholler M, Scott P, Shivas RG, Silar P, Souza-Motta CM, Silva-Filho AGS, Spies CFJ, Stchigel AM, Sterflinger K, Summerbell RC, Svetasheva TY, Takamatsu S, Theelen B, Theodoro RC, Thines M, Thongklang N, Torres R, Turchetti B, van den Brule T, Wang XW, Wartchow F, Welti S, Wijesinghe SN, Wu F, Xu R, Yang ZL, Yilmaz N, Yurkov A, Zhao L, Zhao RL, Zhou N, Hyde KD, Crous PW (2024). What are the 100 most cited fungal genera? Studies in Mycology 108: 1-411. doi: 10.3114/sim.2024.108.01.

Decoction regulating phytochemicals' micromorphology changes and anti-inflammation activity enhancements originated from herb medicine supermolecules

BACKGROUND

Mahuang Fuzi decoction (MGF) is composed of three herb medicines that has been clinically used to treat inflammatory diseases for a long history. At present, more and more active phytochemicals' aggregations have been found during the thermodynamic process of herb medicine decoction, and revealing the clinical efficacy of herb medicine through supramolecular strategies is the focus of current research. However, it is not clear whether decoction induced supermolecules' morphological changes to modify activity.

METHODS

Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were used to analyze the micromorphology of MGF, MGF SA (MGF supermolecules), and MIX (physical mixture of MGF single decoction). The interaction and thermodynamic parameters of single herbs in a decoction were investigated by Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The phytochemicals were systematically analyzed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography-Q Exactive hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap high-resolution accurate mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS). Under the safe dose on RAW264.7 cells, NO, IL-6 and TNF-α were determined by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA) method. NF-κB p65 translocation from the cytoplasm into the nucleus was examined using the immunofluorescence assay and the western blot, respectively. Furthermore, Metabolomics was used to discover potential biomarkers and the associated metabolic pathways of MGF SA treatment.

RESULTS

There were nanoscale aggregations in MGF, and the micromorphology of the extracted MGF SA consisted of uniform particles; while the MIX micromorphology had no uniformity. ITC showed that the interaction MH-GC and FZ-GC were a spontaneous exothermic reaction, indicating that their phytochemicals had the property of self-assembly. Though the micromorphology between MGF, MGF SA, and MIX was obviously different, UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS results displayed that the main phytochemicals of MGF and MIX had nearly the same components. Interestingly, MGF and MGF SA could significantly inhibit the production of NO, and had better inhibition effect on the expression of nuclear protein NF-κB p65 than MIX, among which MGF SA had the best effect. Further investigation indicated that the perturbance of metabolic profiling in RAW264.7 inflammatory cells was obviously reversed by MGF SA.

CONCLUSIONS

The decoction enriched the key active phytochemicals and regulated the formation of homogeneous nanoparticles in MGF SA. The supermolecules in MGF SA significantly enhanced its anti-inflammatory activity, primarily affecting the NF-κB signaling pathway and the biosynthesis and metabolism of arginine in RAW264.7 inflammatory cells. Current study displayed that co-decocting herbal medicine were beneficial to the treatment of diseases than the mixture of the single herbs' extraction.

Anti-inflammatory effects of fish bone fermented using Monascus purpureus in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells by regulating NF-κB pathway

Fish bones are the by-products of aquatic and fishery processing, which are often discarded. However, it has been considered having health-promoting by containing many essential nutrients. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory effect of fish bone fermented by Monascus purpureus (FBF) and the NF-κB pathway regulation mechanism in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 cells. FBF has inhibited the production of PGE2 (prostaglandin E2), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. The FBF has significantly inhibited mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Moreover, FBF has suppressed activation of NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-B) by increasing IκB mRNA expression and reduced of p65, p50 mRNA expression, as well as nuclear NF-κB DNA binding activity in LPS-induced RAW 246.7 cells. These findings demonstrate that FBF has inhibited LPS-induced inflammation by subsiding the activation of NF-κB in RAW 246.7 cells, implying that FBF could be employed as a promising natural product.

Cordyceps militaris as a Bio Functional Food Source: Pharmacological Potential, Anti-Inflammatory Actions and Related Molecular Mechanisms

Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a medicinal mushroom possessing a variety of biofunctionalities. It has several biologically important components such as polysaccharides and others. The diverse pharmacological potential of C. militaris has generated interest in reviewing the current scientific literature, with a particular focus on prevention and associated molecular mechanisms in inflammatory diseases. Due to rising global demand, research on C. militaris has continued to increase in recent years. C. militaris has shown the potential for inhibiting inflammation-related events, both in in vivo and in vitro experiments. Inflammation is a multifaceted biological process that contributes to the development and severity of diseases, including cancer, colitis, and allergies. These functions make C. militaris a suitable functional food for inhibiting inflammatory responses such as the regulation of proinflammatory cytokines. Therefore, on the basis of existing information, the current study provides insights towards the understanding of anti-inflammatory activity-related mechanisms. This article presents a foundation for clinical use, and analyzes the roadmap for future studies concerning the medical use of C. militaris and its constituents in the next generation of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Extracellular polysaccharide biosynthesis in Cordyceps

Cordyceps is a parasitic edible fungus with a variety of metabolically active ingredients. The main active ingredient, extracellular polysaccharide (EPS), shows favourable application prospects in prevention and treatment of certain diseases. EPS extracted from different parts of various Cordyceps species can be used in health foods or medicinal preparations because of the structural diversity and multiple bioactivities. In terms of the complexity of composition and structure, researchers have speculated on the anabolic pathways of EPSs and the genes involved in the synthesis process. Studies to increase the yield of polysaccharides are limited because the synthesis pathways and anabolic regulation mechanisms of Cordyceps exopolysaccharide remain unknown. This review summarises the current researches in the yield of Cordyceps polysaccharides. A mechanism for the biosynthesis of Cordyceps polysaccharides was proposed by referring to the polysaccharide synthesis in other species. Furthermore, we also discuss the future perspective and ongoing challenges of EPS in uses of health foods and pharmaceutics.

Anti-inflammatory effect of Acalypha australis L. via suppression of NF-κB signaling in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and LPS-induced septic mice

We evaluated the anti-inflammatory activity of methanol extracts of Chinese medicinal plants from Beijing and determined which extract was the most effective. We found the methanol extract of Acalypha australis L. (AAL) to be the most effective. AAL has been used for clearing heat, toxic material, and hemostasia in Chinese medicine. Although these uses are closely related to inflammation, the anti-inflammatory effect of AAL has not yet been described and its underlying mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to identify anti-inflammatory effect of AAL and its underlying mechanism in vitro and in vivo. In RAW 264.7 macrophages, cytotoxicity was evaluated by MTT assay and nitric oxide (NO) was measured with Griess reagent. To confirm the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and its mRNA expression, enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were performed. Further, protein expression was analyzed by western blotting. Septic shock was induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS (25 mg/kg) in mice. One hour before LPS injection, AAL (25 and 50 mg/kg) was administered orally. In LPS-stimulated macrophages, AAL inhibited NO production at concentrations without cytotoxicity. Additionally, AAL reduced not only inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression but the production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by attenuating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-related proteins (NF-κB p65, phosphorylation of inhibitor κB-α; p-IκB-α, phosphorylation of inhibitor κB kinase-α/β; p-Ikk-α/β). Moreover, AAL enhanced the survival rate of mice through the inhibition of iNOS expression and IL-6 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production in LPS-induced septic mice. Furthermore, AAL also reduced the expression of NF-κB-related proteins. These finding suggest that AAL is related to the modulation of inflammatory reactions by blocking NF-κB activation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages and LPS-induced septic mice.

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of the Wild Mushroom, Echinodontium tinctorium, in RAW264.7 Macrophage Cells and Mouse Microcirculation

The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of a previously un-studied wild mushroom, Echinodontium tinctorium, collected from the forests of north-central British Columbia. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophage model was used to study the in vitro anti-inflammatory activity. The crude alkaline extract demonstrated potent anti-inflammatory activity, and was further purified using a "bio-activity-guided-purification" approach. The size-exclusion and ion-exchange chromatography yielded a water-soluble anti-inflammatory polysaccharide (AIPetinc). AIPetinc has an average molecular weight of 5 kDa, and is a heteroglucan composed of mainly glucose (88.6%) with a small amount of galactose (4.0%), mannose (4.4%), fucose (0.7%), and xylose (2.3%). In in vivo settings, AIPetinc restored the histamine-induced inflammatory event in mouse gluteus maximus muscle, thus confirming its anti-inflammatory activity in an animal model. This study constitutes the first report on the bioactivity of Echinodontium tinctorium, and highlights the potential medicinal benefits of fungi from the wild forests of northern British Columbia. Furthermore, it also reiterates the need to explore natural resources for alternative treatment to modern world diseases.

Transcriptome Analysis of Cordyceps militaris Reveals Genes Associated With Carotenoid Synthesis and Identification of the Function of the Cmtns Gene

Cordyceps militaris, a valuable edible and medicinal fungus, has attracted increasing attention because of its various bioactive ingredients. However, the biosynthetic pathway of C. militaris carotenoids is still unknown due to lack of transcriptome information. To uncover genes related to the biosynthesis of C. militaris carotenoids, the transcriptomes of mycelia CM10_D cultured under dark conditions and mycelia CM10_L cultured under light exposure conditions were sequenced. Compared with mycelia CM10_D, 866 up-regulated genes and 856 down-regulated genes were found in mycelia CM10_L. Gene ontology (GO) analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) indicated that DEGs were mainly classified into the “metabolic process,” “membrane,” and “catalytic activity” terms. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs suggested that DEGs were mainly enriched in “metabolic pathways,” “MAPK signaling pathway-yeast,” and “biosynthesis of secondary metabolites.” In addition, the carotenoid content of the Cmtns gene deletion mutant (ΔCmtns) was significantly lower than that of the wild-type C. militaris CM10, while the carotenoid content of the complementary strain (ΔCmtns-c) of the Cmtns gene was not significantly different from that of C. militaris CM10, suggesting that the Cmtns gene significantly affected the biosynthesis of carotenoids in C. militaris. These results potentially pave the way for revealing the biosynthetic pathway of carotenoids and improving carotenoids production in C. militaris.

The Inhibitory Effect of Cordycepin on the Proliferation of MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells, and its Mechanism: An Investigation Using Network Pharmacology-Based Analysis

Cordyceps militaris is a well-known medicinal mushroom. It is non-toxic and has clinical health benefits including cancer inhibition. However, the anticancer effects of C. militaris cultured in brown rice on breast cancer have not yet been reported. In this study, we simultaneously investigated the anticancer effects of cordycepin and an extract of C. militaris cultured in brown rice on MCF-7 human breast cancer cells using a cell viability assay, cell staining with Hoechst 33342, and an image-based cytometric assay. The C. militaris concentrate exhibited significant MCF-7 cell inhibitory effects, and its IC50 value was 73.48 µg/mL. Cordycepin also exhibited significant MCF-7 cell inhibitory effects, and its IC50 value was 9.58 µM. We applied network pharmacological analysis to predict potential targets and pathways of cordycepin. The gene set enrichment analysis showed that the targets of cordycepin are mainly associated with the hedgehog signaling, apoptosis, p53 signaling, and estrogen signaling pathways. We further verified the predicted targets related to the apoptosis pathway using western blot analysis. The C. militaris concentrate and cordycepin exhibited the ability to induce apoptotic cell death by increasing the cleavage of caspase-7 -8, and -9, increasing the Bcl-2-associated X protein/ B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bax/Bcl-2) protein expression ratio, and decreasing the protein expression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) in MCF-7 cells. Consequently, the C. militaris concentrate and cordycepin exhibited significant anticancer effects through their ability to induce apoptosis in breast cancer cells.

Anti-inflammatory Effects of Batillaria multiformis Water Extracts via NF-кB and MAPK Signaling Pathways in LPS-Induced RAW 264.7 Cells

Batillaria multiformis (B. multiformis) belong to gastropods. They live generally in the sandpit of the lagoons and the estuaries of the intertidal zone. Most of them are distributed in Korea, Japan and China. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory potential of B. multiformis water extracts (BMW). The results showed that the extracts significantly decreased the production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. In addition, the extracts suppressed the protein levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose dependent manner. Further investigation indicated that BMW suppressed phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38 through the MAPK signaling pathway and influenced the NF-κB signaling pathway by suppressing the IκBα degradation in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Scallop Extracts Inhibited LPS-Induced Inflammation by Suppressing MAPK and NF-κB Activation in RAW264.7 Macrophages

Scallops belong to cosmopolitan family of bivalves which are found in any oceans. They are one of the most important marine fishery resources in the world. The shell, meat and pearl layer have a high utilization value and a lot of scallops are eaten as food. In this study, we established anti-inflammatory effect of Scallops water extract in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated RAW 264.7 mononuclear macrophage. Our results indicated that Scallop water extract effectively reduced the synthesis of nitric oxide (NO). In addition, Scallop water extract suppressed the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α. Further investigation indicated that anti-inflammatory effect of Scallop water extract via suppressing downregulation of MAPK (JNK, p38 and ERK) and NF-κB signaling.