Antitumor 1,3-beta-glucan from cultured fruit body of Sparassis crispa

Potential osteoporosis-blocker Sparassis crispa polysaccharide: Isolation, purification and structure elucidation

This study aimed to investigate the structural characterization of water-soluble polysaccharides from Sparassis crispa and their effects on the proliferation and differentiation of mouse osteoblasts. Three fractions (F-1, F-2, and F-3) were obtained from crude polysaccharides by a DEAE-52 cellulose column. The main fraction (F-1) was further purified by polysaccharide gel purification systems to obtain purified water-soluble Sparassis crispa polysaccharide (SCPS). The chemical structure of SCPS was analyzed by gas chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, methylation analysis, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The monosaccharide compositional analysis revealed that SCPS consisted of fucose, arabinose, galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, ribose, galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid, and mannuronic acid in a molar ratio of 17.37:1.94:25.52:30.83:1.14:0.30:4.98:2.87:2.65. Moreover, the backbone of SCPS was composed of →3)-β-d-Glcp-(1→4)-β-d-Glcp-(1→, with side chains attached to the backbone at the O-6 positions through the →3,6)-β-d-Glcp-(1→ linkage. The in vitro experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of SCPS on the proliferation and differentiation of mouse osteoblasts. The results showed that SCPS significantly enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of mouse osteoblasts, indicating their potential as a pharmaceutical agent for promoting osteoblast proliferation and differentiation.

Potential promising anticancer applications of β-glucans: a review

β-Glucans are valuable functional polysaccharides distributed in nature, especially in the cell walls of fungi, yeasts, bacteria, and cereals. The unique features of β-glucans, such as water solubility, viscosity, molecular weight, and so on, have rendered them to be broadly applied in various food systems as well as in medicine to improve human health. Moreover, inhibition of cancer development could be achieved by an increase in immune system activity via β-glucans. β-glucans, which are part of a class of naturally occurring substances known as biological response modifiers (BRMs), have also shown evidence of being anti-tumorogenic, anti-cytotoxic, and anti-mutagenic. These properties make them attractive candidates for use as pharmaceutical health promoters. Along these lines, they could activate particular proteins or receptors, like lactosylceramide (LacCer), Dickin-1, complement receptor 3 (CR3), scavenge receptors (SR), and the toll-like receptor (TLR). This would cause the release of cytokines, which would then activate other antitumor immune cells, like macrophages stimulating neutrophils and monocytes. These cells are biased toward pro-inflammatory cytokine synthesis and phagocytosis enhancing the elicited immunological responses. So, to consider the importance of β-glucans, the present review introduces the structure characteristics, biological activity, and antitumor functions of fungal β-glucans, as well as their application.

Exploring potential soybean bradyrhizobia from high trehalose-accumulating soybean genotypes for improved symbiotic effectiveness in soybean

Drought is the most important factor limiting the activity of rhizobia during N-fixation and plant growth. In the present study, we isolated Bradyrhizobium spp. from root nodules of higher trehalose-accumulating soybean genotypes and examined for moisture stress tolerance on a gradient of polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) amended in yeast extract mannitol (YEM) broth. In addition, the bradyrhizobial strains were also evaluated for symbiotic effectiveness on soybean. Based on 16S rDNA gene sequences, four bradyrhizobial species were recovered from high trehalose-accumulating genotypes, i.e., two Bradyrhizobium liaoningense strains (accession number KX230053, KX230054) from EC 538828 and PK-472, respectively, one Bradyrhizobium daqingense (accession number KX230052) from PK-472, and one Bradyrhizobium kavangense (accession number MN197775) from Valder genotype having low trehalose. These strains, along with two native strains, viz., Bradyrhizobium japonicum (JF792425), Bradyrhizobium liaoningense (JF792426), and one commercial rhizobium, were studied for nodulation, leghaemoglobin, and N-fixation abilities on soybean under sterilized sand microcosm conditions in a completely randomized design. Among all the strains, D-4A (B. daqingense) followed by D-4B (B. liaoningense) was found to have significantly higher nodulation traits and acetylene reduction assay (ARA) activity when compared to other strains and commercial rhizobia. The bradyrhizobia isolates showed plant growth promotion traits such as indole acetic acid (IAA), exopolysaccharide (EPS), and siderophore production, phosphate-solubilizing potential, and proline accumulation. The novel species B. daqingense was reported for the first time from Indian soil and observed to be a potential candidate strain and should be evaluated for conferring drought tolerance in soybean under simulated stress conditions.

Sustainable production and pharmaceutical applications of β-glucan from microbial sources

β-glucans are a large class of complex polysaccharides found in abundant sources. Our dietary sources of β-glucans are cereals that include oats and barley, and non-cereal sources can consist of mushrooms, microalgae, bacteria, and seaweeds. There is substantial clinical interest in β-glucans; as they can be used for a variety of diseases including cancer and cardiovascular conditions. Suitable sources of β-glucans for biopharmaceutical applications include bacteria, microalgae, mycelium, and yeast. Environmental factors including culture medium can influence the biomass and ultimately β-glucan content. Therefore, cultivation conditions for the above organisms can be controlled for sustainable enhanced production of β-glucans. This review discusses the various sources of β-glucans and their cultivation conditions that may be optimised to exploit sustainable production. Finally, this article discusses the immune-modulatory potential of β-glucans from these sources.

Culturability, Cultivation Potential, and Element Analysis of the Culinary-Medicinal Cauliflower Mushroom Sparassis latifolia (Agaricomycetes) from Pakistan

Sparassis Fr. is a recognized nutritionally and therapeutically significant genus of mushrooms. Its species has the potential to meet the nutritious and healthy food needs of the growing population but unfortunately due to their tough, laborious and undefined cultivation conditions, their domestication is very rare and not properly described before. In this study, first time the detailed culturabilty and cultivation potential of a wild S. latifolia species from Pakistan was evaluated. Among the different media used, maximum cultural growth was observed on pine needles extract agar (PEA) medium at 24°C. Cultured strains on PEA medium were used to spawn on wheat, sorghum and barley grains. Sorghum grains at 24°C were found as the best combination for spawn production of this mushroom. Total yield efficacy was investigated on a variety of substrates. A mixed substrate of Morus sawdust and pine sawdust at 20°C showed the optimum yield. Element analysis of wild and cultivated strain was carried out and revealed that this mushroom is enriched with macronutrients. These results showed that S. latifolia has great artificial growth potential. Its domestication can compete with commonly growing mushrooms in nutritional and pharmaceutical attributes.

Medicinal, nutritional, and nutraceutical potential of Sparassis crispa s. lat.: a review

Sparassis crispa is an edible mushroom exhibiting a wide range of medicinal properties. It is recognized for therapeutic value because of the high β-glucan content in the basidiomes. The broad range of its reported curative effects include anti-tumour, anti-cancer, immune-enhancing, hematopoietic, anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, wound-healing, antioxidant, anti-coagulant, and anti-hypertensive properties. However, most of the studies are conducted on immunomodulatory and anticancer activities. Besides this, it also exhibits anti-microbial properties due to the presence of sparassol. Technology is now available for the cultivation of S. crispa on coniferous sawdust. This review is an attempt to focus on its distribution, taxonomy, chemical composition, medicinal properties, potential applications, and artificial cultivation.

Research on Extraction, Structure Characterization and Immunostimulatory Activity of Cell Wall Polysaccharides from Sparassis latifolia

The cell wall polysaccharides were extracted from Sparassis latifolia fruit bodies by acid–alkali and superfine-grinding assisted methods, and the chemical characterization and in vitro immunity activities of these polysaccharide fractions were studied and compared. Results showed that superfine-grinding assisted extraction exhibited the highest yield of polysaccharides (SP, 20.80%) and low β-glucan content (19.35%) compared with alkaline extracts. The results revealed that the 20% ethanol precipitated fraction (20E) from SP was mainly composed of β-(1→3)-glucan and α-(1→4)-glucan. With the increase of ethanol precipitation, the fractions (30E, 40E, 50E) were identified as α-(1→4)-glucan with different molecular weights and conformations. Cell wall polysaccharides extracted through NaOH (NSP) and KOH (KSP) extraction had similar yields with 8.90% and 8.83%, respectively. Structural analysis indicated that the purified fraction from KSP (KSP-30E) was a β-(1→3)-glucan backbone branched with β-(1→6)-Glcp, while the purified fraction from NSP (NSP-30E) mainly contained β-(1→3)-glucan with a small number of α-linked-Glcp. The two fractions both exhibited rigid chain conformation in aqueous solutions. All polysaccharide fractions exerted the activity of activating Dectin-1 receptor in vitro, and the KSP-30E mainly identified as β-(1→3)-glucan with the terminal group via 1→6-linkage attached at every third residue exhibited a stronger enhancing effect than other fractions. Results suggested that KOH extraction could be efficient for the preparation of bioactive β-(1→3, 1→6)-glucan as a food ingredient.

Biomedical and therapeutic potential of exopolysaccharides by Lactobacillus paracasei isolated from sauerkraut: Screening and characterization

The intention of the study was evaluated for purification and characterization of exopolysaccharides from Lactobacillus paracasei; was isolated from homemade Sauerkraut sample collected from Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu, India, confirmed by biochemical and gene sequencing (16S rRNA). The purification and characterization of exopolysaccharides from candidate bacterium were studied on appearance, solubility of the EPS, carbohydrate estimation, emulsifying activity, sulphate, protein, uronic acid content, FTIR, HPLC and GC-MS analysis. The percentage of elemental carbon, (54.36%) hydrogen (21.74%), nitrogen (9.63%) and sulphur content (18.03%) were recorded in exopolysaccharides. The emulsification index (E24) of EPS was higher in toluene (79.20) and benzene (78.867) supplemented medium. FTIR spectrum of the candidate bacterial EPS confirmed presence of sulphate compounds, carboxyl group, and hydrogen bonded compounds etc. EPS exhibited 76.34% of Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), 71.15% of reducing power, 68.65% of Hydrogen Peroxide scavenging activity and also 60.31% DPPH radical scavenging activity. The potential antioxidant properties observed in exopolysaccharides from Lactobacillus paracasei is considered as valuable drugs.

[Fungal Beta-glucans: Structure and Effect on Host Immune Responses]

Fungi are eukaryotic microorganisms that show complex life cycles, including both anamorph and teleomorph stages. Beta-1,3-1,6-glucans (BGs) are major cell wall components in fungi. BGs are also found in a soluble form and are secreted by fungal cells. Studies of fungal BGs extensively expanded from 1960 to 1990 due to their applications in cancer immunotherapy. However, progress in this field slowed down due to the low efficacy of such therapies. In the early 21st century, the discovery of C-type lectin receptors significantly enhanced the molecular understanding of innate immunity. Moreover, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) were also discovered. Soon, dectin-1 was identified as the PRR of BGs, whereas BGs were established as PAMPs. Then, studies on fungal BGs focused on their participation in the development of deep-seated mycoses and on their role as a source of functional foods. Fungal BGs may have numerous and complex linkages, making it difficult to systematize them even at the primary structure level. Moreover, elucidating the structure of BGs is largely hindered by the multiplicity of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis, including those for BGs, and by fungal diversity. The present review mainly focused on the characteristics of fungal BGs from the viewpoint of structure and immunological activities.

Traditional foods with their constituent's antiviral and immune system modulating properties

Background

Viruses are responsible for several diseases, including severe acute respiratory syndrome, a condition caused by today's pandemic coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A negotiated immune system is a common risk factor for all viral infections, including COVID-19. To date, no specific therapies or vaccines have been approved for coronavirus. In these circumstances, antiviral and immune boosting foods may ensure protection against viral infections, especially SARS-CoV-2 by reducing risk and ensuring fast healing of SARS-CoV-2 illness.

Scope and approach

In this review, we have conducted an online search using several search engines (Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science and Science Direct) to find out some traditional foods (plant, animal and fungi species), which have antiviral and immune-boosting properties against numerous viral infections, particularly coronaviruses (CoVs) and others RNA-virus infections. Our review indicated some foods to be considered as potential immune enhancers, which may help individuals to overcome viral infections like COVID-19 by modulating immune systems and reducing respiratory problems. Furthermore, this review will provide information regarding biological properties of conventional foods and their ingredients to uphold general health.

Key Findings and Conclusions

We observed some foods with antiviral and immune-boosting properties, which possess bioactive compounds that showed significant antiviral properties against different viruses, particularly RNA viruses such as CoVs. Interestingly, some antiviral and immune-boosting mechanisms were very much similar to the antiviral drug of COVID-19 homologous SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus). The transient nature and the devastating spreading capability of COVID-19 lead to ineffectiveness of many curative therapies. Therefore, body shielding and immune-modulating foods, which have previous scientific recognition, have been discussed in this review to discern the efficacy of these foods against viral infections, especially SARS-CoV-2.

Promising Potential of Crude Polysaccharides from Sparassis crispa against Colon Cancer: An In Vitro Study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate in vitro the beneficial potential of crude polysaccharides from S. crispa (CPS) in one of the most common cancer types-colon cancer. The determination of the chemical composition of CPS has revealed that it contains mostly carbohydrates, while proteins or phenolics are present only in trace amounts. 1H NMR and GC-MS methods were used for the structural analysis of CPS. Biological activity including anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of CPS was investigated. CPS was found to be non-toxic to normal human colon epithelial CCD841 CoN cells. Simultaneously, they destroyed membrane integrity as well as inhibited the proliferation of human colon cancer cell lines: Caco-2, LS180 and HT-29. Antioxidant activity was determined by various methods and revealed the moderate potential of CPS. The enzymatic assays revealed no influence of CPS on xanthine oxidase and the inhibition of catalase activity. Moreover, pro-inflammatory enzymes such as cyclooxygenase-2 or lipooxygenase were inhibited by CPS. Therefore, it may be suggested that S. crispa is a valuable part of the regular human diet, which may contribute to a reduction in the risk of colon cancer, and possess promising activities encouraging further studies regarding its potential use as chemopreventive and therapeutic agent in more invasive stages of this type of cancer.

Structural studies of immunomodulatory (1 → 3)-, (1 → 4)-α glucan from an edible mushroom Polyporus grammocephalus

A water soluble polysaccharide (PGPS) with molecular weight ~ 1.4 × 10⁵ Da was isolated by alkali treatment from an edible mushroom Polyporus grammocephalus and purified by gel chromatography using sepharose-6B column. Monosaccharide analysis revealed that PGPS was made up of glucose only. PGPS contained (1 → 3)-α-D-Glcp and (1 → 4)-α-D-Glcp moieties in a molar ratio of nearly 1:2. Through a series of chemical and spectroscopic (1D/2D NMR) investigations, the repeating unit of the glucan was established as: →3)-α-D-Glcp(1 → [4)-α-D-Glcp(1]₂→ This α-glucan was observed to stimulate some prime components of immune system, namely, macrophages, splenocytes, and thymocytes.

Alginate-Derived Elicitors Enhance β-Glucan Content and Antioxidant Activities in Culinary and Medicinal Mushroom, Sparassis latifolia

This study aimed to investigate the elicitation effects of alginate oligosaccharides extracted from brown algae (Sargassum species) on β-glucan production in cauliflower mushroom (Sparassis latifolia). Sodium alginate was refined from Sargassum fulvellum, S. fusiforme, and S. horneri, and characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR), resulting mannuronic acid to guluronic acid (M/G) rationes from 0.64 to 1.38. Three oligosaccharide fractions, ethanol fraction (EF), solid fraction (SF), and liquid fraction (LF), were prepared by acid hydrolysis and analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectra and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with a pulsed amperometric detector (HPAEC-PAD). The samples of S. fusiforme resulted in the highest hydrolysate in SF and the lowest in LF, which was consistent with its highest M/G ratio. The SF of S. fusiforme and LF of S. horneri were chosen for elicitation on S. latifolia, yielding the highest β-glucan contents of 56.01 ± 3.45% and 59.74 ± 4.49% in the stalk, respectively. Total polyphenol content (TPC) and antioxidant activities (2,2’-Azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging and Superoxide dismutase (SOD)-like activity) of aqueous extracts of S. latifolia were greatly stimulated by alginate elicitation. These results demonstrate that alginate oligosaccharides extracted from brown algae may be useful as an elicitor to enhance the nutritional value of mushrooms.

Development of a novel β-1,6-glucan-specific detection system using functionally-modified recombinant endo-β-1,6-glucanase

β-1,3-d-Glucan is a ubiquitous glucose polymer produced by plants, bacteria, and most fungi. It has been used as a diagnostic tool in patients with invasive mycoses via a highly-sensitive reagent consisting of the blood coagulation system of horseshoe crab. However, no method is currently available for measuring β-1,6-glucan, another primary β-glucan structure of fungal polysaccharides. Herein, we describe the development of an economical and highly-sensitive and specific assay for β-1,6-glucan using a modified recombinant endo-β-1,6-glucanase having diminished glucan hydrolase activity. The purified β-1,6-glucanase derivative bound to the β-1,6-glucan pustulan with a KD of 16.4 nm We validated the specificity of this β-1,6-glucan probe by demonstrating its ability to detect cell wall β-1,6-glucan from both yeast and hyphal forms of the opportunistic fungal pathogen Candida albicans, without any detectable binding to glucan lacking the long β-1,6-glucan branch. We developed a sandwich ELISA-like assay with a low limit of quantification for pustulan (1.5 pg/ml), and we successfully employed this assay in the quantification of extracellular β-1,6-glucan released by >250 patient-derived strains of different Candida species (including Candida auris) in culture supernatant in vitro We also used this assay to measure β-1,6-glucan in vivo in the serum and in several organs in a mouse model of systemic candidiasis. Our work describes a reliable method for β-1,6-glucan detection, which may prove useful for the diagnosis of invasive fungal infections.

Nanocomposite Gel as Injectable Therapeutic Scaffold: Microstructural Aspects and Bioactive Properties

The development of tissue scaffolds able to provide proper and accelerated regeneration of tissue is a main task of tissue engineering. We developed a nanocomposite gel that may be used as an injectable therapeutic scaffold. The nanocomposite gel is based on biocompatible gelling agents with embedded nanoparticles (iron oxide, silver, and hydroxyapatite) providing therapeutic properties. We have investigated the microstructure of the nanocomposite gel exposed to different substrates (porous materials and biological tissue). Here we show that the nanocomposite gel has the ability to self-reassemble mimicking the substrate morphology: exposition on porous mineral substrate caused reassembling of nanocomposite gel into 10× smaller scale structure; exposition to a section of humerus cortical bone decreased the microstructure scale more than twice (to ≤3 μm). The reassembling happens through a transitional layer which exists near the phase separation boundary. Our results impact the knowledge of gels explaining their abundance in biological organisms from the microstructural point of view. The results of our biological experiments showed that the nanocomposite gel may find diverse applications in the biomedical field.

Ultrasonic-assisted enzymatic extraction of Sparassis crispa polysaccharides possessing protective ability against H2O2-induced oxidative damage in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells

Extraction optimization, structural characterization, and neuroprotective effects of polysaccharides from Sparassis crispa.

Sparassis crispa Intake Improves the Reduced Lipopolysaccharide-Induced TNF-α Production That Occurs upon Exhaustive Exercise in Mice

Our previous study showed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production is inhibited by acute exhaustive exercise in mice, leading to transient immunodepression after exercise. Sparassis crispa (SC), an edible mushroom, has immunopotentiative properties. This study aimed to clarify the effects of SC intake on reduced LPS-induced TNF-α production upon exhaustive exercise in mice. Male C3H/HeN mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal chow intake + resting sedentary, normal chow intake + acute exhaustive treadmill running exercise, and SC intake (chow containing 5% SC powder for 8 weeks) + the exhaustive exercise groups. Each group was injected with LPS immediately after the exhaustive exercise or rest. Plasma and tissue TNF-α levels were significantly decreased by exhaustive exercise. However, this reduction of the TNF-α level was partially attenuated in the plasma and small intestine by SC intake. Although levels of TLR4 and MyD88 protein expression were significantly decreased in tissues by exhaustive exercise, the reduction of TLR4 and MyD88 levels in the small intestine was partially attenuated by SC intake. These results suggest that SC intake attenuates exhaustive exercise-induced reduction of TNF-α production via the retention of TLR4 and MyD88 expression in the small intestine.

Rapid Characterization of Chemical Components in Edible Mushroom Sparassis crispa by UPLC-Orbitrap MS Analysis and Potential Inhibitory Effects on Allergic Rhinitis

Sparassis crispa is a kind of edible fungus widely grows in the north temperate zone, which shows various medicinal properties. Due to the complexity of chemical constitutes of this species, few investigations have acquired a comprehensive configuration for the chemical profile of it. In this study, a strategy based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) combined with Orbitrap mass spectrometer (MS) was established for rapidly characterizing various chemical components in S. crispa. Through the summarized MS/MS fragmentation patterns of reference compounds and systematic identification strategy, a total of 110 components attributed to six categories were identified for the first time. Moreover, allergic rhinitis (AR) is a worldwide inflammatory disease seriously affecting human health, and the development of drugs to treat AR has been a topic of interest. It has been reported that the extracts of S. crispa showed obvious inhibitory effects on degranulation of mast cell- and allergen-induced IgE and proinflammatory mediators, but the active components and specific mechanism were still not clear. Src family kinases (SFKs) participate in the initial stage of allergy occurrence, which are considered the targets of AR treatment. Herein, on the basis of that self-built chemical database, virtual screening was applied to predict the potential SFKs inhibitors in S. crispa, using known crystal structures of Hck, Lyn, Fyn, and Syk as receptors, followed by the anti-inflammatory activity evaluation for screened hits by intracellular calcium mobilization assay. As results, sparoside A was directly confirmed to have strong anti-inflammatory activity with an IC50 value of 5.06 ± 0.60 μM. This study provides a useful elucidation for the chemical composition of S. crispa, and demonstrated its potential inhibitory effects on AR, which could promote the research and development of effective agents from natural resources.

Production, Characterization and Valuable Applications of Exopolysaccharides from Marine Bacillus subtilis SH1

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are high molecular weight polymers consisting of different sugar residues they are preferable for replacing synthetic polymers as they are degradable and nontoxic. Many microorganisms possess the ability to synthesize and excrete exopolysaccharides with novel chemical compositions, properties and structures to have potential applications in different fields. The present study attempt to optimize the production of EPS by marine Bacillus subtilis SH1 in addition to characterization and investigation of different valuable applications. Effect of medium type, incubation period and pH were studied using the one factor at a time experiments. It was shown that the highest productivity (24 gl-1) of exopolysaccharides was recorded by using yeast malt glucose medium with pH 9 at the fourth day of incubation. Experimental design using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was applied to optimize various nutrients at different concentrations. The finalized optimized medium contained (gl-1) glucose (5), peptone (2.5), yeast extract (4.5) and malt extract (4.5) increased the production of EPS to 33.8 gl-1 with1.4 fold increase compared to the basal medium. Chemical characterization of the extracted EPS showed that, FTIR spectra exhibited bands at various regions. Moreover, HPLC chromatogram indicated that the EPS was a heteropolysaccharide consisting of maltose and rhamnose. The study was extended to evaluate the potentiality of the extracted polysaccharides in different medical applications. Results concluded that, EPS exhibited antibacterial activity against Aeromonas hydrophila, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Streptococcus faecalis and the highest antibacterial activity (7.8, 9 and 10.4 AU/ml) was against S. faecalis at 50, 100 and 200 mg/ml respectively. The EPS exhibited various degree of antitumor effect toward the tested cell lines (MCF-7, HCT-116 and HepG2). In addition, EPS exhibited antiviral activity at 500 μg/ml. The antioxidant capacity increased with increasing the concentration of the sample. Scanning electron microscopic analysis showed that EPS had compact film-like structure, which could make it a useful in the future applications as in preparing plasticized film.

Study of the chemical structure of exopolysaccharide produced from streptomycete and its effect as an attenuate for antineoplastic drug 5-fluorouracil that induced gastrointestinal toxicity in rats

Chemotherapeutic medications, including 5 - fluorouracil (5FU), are the same old technique to most cancers and are associated with numerous peripheral toxicities. We investigated exopolysaccharide (EPSST) produced from the isolated streptomycete of the Mediterranean Sea for the capability to lower the severity of mucositis in vivo. The streptomycete was isolated from Mediterranean Sea sediment from the beaches of Port Said Governorates, Egypt and identified morphologically, physiologically, and biochemically and confirmed by molecularly 16S rDNA analysis. The EPSST was extracted from the supernatant of streptomycete by using 4 volumes chilled ethanol and then the functional groups, MW, and chemical evaluation have been detected via Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In addition, antioxidant activity was measured through the usage of 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Thirty-two male rats (180-200 g) were randomly divided into a control group (normal saline), intraperitoneal injection of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, 150 mg/kg), normal rats were treated with EPSST and 5-FU + EPSST group. These groups were continued up to the day of sacrifice (28 days post treatments). The isolated strain became recognized based totally on 16S rDNA sequence as Streptomyce sp. with accession number SAMN08349905. The chemical evaluations of EPSST were galacturonic, glucose, galactose, mannose, and arabinose with a relative ratio of 2.1: 1: 5.37: 1.62: 1.29 individually, with an average molecular weight (Mw) 9.687 × 10³ g/mol. Also, the EPSST contained uronic acid (16%) and sulfate (12.149%) and no protein was detected. EPSST inhibited the DPPH radical activity. The findings of this study propose that EPSST inhibits 5-FU-induced mucositis through adjustment of oxidative stress, apoptosis, inflammatory factors, activation of antioxidant enzymes. The clinical administration of EPSST may recover the chemotherapy-induced intestinal dysfunction, consequently increasing the clinical efficiency of chemotherapy. In addition, the administration of EPSST reduced 5-FU-induced histopathological incongruities such as neutrophil infiltration, loss of cellular integrity, and villus and crypt distortion. The clinical administration of EPSST may recover the chemotherapy-induced intestinal dysfunction, consequently increasing the clinical efficiency of chemotherapy.

Phosphate deficiency induced biofilm formation of Burkholderia on insoluble phosphate granules plays a pivotal role for maximum release of soluble phosphate

Involvement of biofilm formation process during phosphate (P) solubilization by rhizobacterial strains is not clearly understood. Scanning electron microscopic observations revealed prominent biofilm development on tricalcium phosphate as well as on four different rock phosphate granules by two P solubilizing rhizobacteria viz. Burkholderia tropica P4 and B. unamae P9. Variation in the biofilm developments were also observed depending on the total P content of insoluble P used. Biofilm quantification suggested a strong correlation between the amounts of available P and degrees of biofilm formation. Lower concentrations of soluble P directed both the organisms towards compact biofilm development with maximum substratum coverage. Variation in the production of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the similar pattern also suggested its close relationship with biofilm formation by the isolates. Presence of BraI/R quorum sensing (QS) system in both the organisms were detected by PCR amplification and sequencing of two QS associated genes viz. braR and rsaL, which are probably responsible for biofilm formation during P solubilization process. Overall observations help to hypothesize for the first time that, biofilm on insoluble P granules creates a close environment for better functioning of organic acids secreted by Burkholderia strains for maximum P solubilization during P deficient conditions.

Sparassis crispa exerts anti-inflammatory activity via suppression of TLR-mediated NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophage cells

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY RELEVANCE

Sparassis crispa, also known as cauliflower mushroom, has been used historically in traditional Asian medicine. It possesses various biological activities, such as immunopotentiation, anti-diabetes, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory effects. Recently, we isolated the non-aqueous fraction from methanol extract of S. crispa (SCF4) by using water-organic solvent mixtures and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In the present study, we identified the anti-inflammatory activity and action mechanism of SCF4 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 murine macrophage cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The chloroform layer isolated from S. crispa methanol extract was separated into seven fractions using preparative HPLC. The fractions were then applied to NO assay to identify the fraction with the best anti-inflammatory activity. The inflammation inhibitory effect and underlying mechanism of SCF4 in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells were assessed using WST-1 assay, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), ROS assay, and Western blot analysis.

RESULTS

SCF4 significantly suppressed LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), and pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)- 6, and IL-1β, without cytotoxicity. In addition, SCF4 downregulated not only the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), but also the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) stimulated by LPS. SCF4 also blocked the nuclear translocation of NF-κB via reduction of inhibitor of κB alpha (IκBα) degradation. Furthermore, SCF4 inhibited the phosphorylation of transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), an important upstream factor of NF-κB and MAPK signaling mediated through toll-like receptor (TLR).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings demonstrate for the first time the correlation between the anti-inflammatory activity of SCF4 and TLR-mediated NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells, suggesting that the non-aqueous extract of S. crispa could be applied as a promising natural product for the prevention and treatment of inflammatory diseases.

Genome sequence of the cauliflower mushroom Sparassis crispa (Hanabiratake) and its association with beneficial usage

Sparassis crispa (Hanabiratake) is a widely used medicinal mushroom in traditional Chinese medicine because it contains materials with pharmacological activity. Here, we report its 39.0-Mb genome, encoding 13,157 predicted genes, obtained using next-generation sequencing along with RNA-seq mapping data. A phylogenetic analysis by comparison with 25 other fungal genomes revealed that S. crispa diverged from Postia placenta, a brown-rot fungus, 94 million years ago. Several features specific to the genome were found, including the A-mating type locus with the predicted genes for HD1 and HD2 heterodomain transcription factors, the mitochondrial intermediate peptidase (MIP), and the B-mating type locus with seven potential pheromone receptor genes and three potential pheromone precursor genes. To evaluate the benefits of the extract and chemicals from S. crispa, we adopted two approaches: (1) characterization of carbohydrate-active enzyme (CAZyme) genes and β-glucan synthase genes and the clusters of genes for the synthesis of second metabolites, such as terpenes, indoles and polyketides, and (2) identification of estrogenic activity in its mycelial extract. Two potential β-glucan synthase genes, ScrFKS1 and ScrFKS2, corresponding to types I and II, respectively, characteristic of Agaricomycetes mushrooms, were newly identified by the search for regions homologous to the reported features of β-glucan synthase genes; both contained the characteristic transmembrane regions and the regions homologous to the catalytic domain of the yeast β-glucan synthase gene FKS1. Rapid estrogenic cell-signaling and DNA microarray-based transcriptome analyses revealed the presence of a new category of chemicals with estrogenic activity, silent estrogens, in the extract. The elucidation of the S. crispa genome and its genes will expand the potential of this organism for medicinal and pharmacological purposes.

Simultaneous determination of the bioactive compounds from Sparassis crispa (Wulf.) by HPLC-DAD and their inhibitory effects on LPS-stimulated cytokine production in bone marrow-derived dendritic cell

Sparassis crispa (Wulf.) belonging to the family of Sparassidaceae, has been widely used as an edible mushroom due to its unique flavor and functions to improve health. In this study, the compounds isolated from the extract of this mushroom were simultaneously quantified by the developed HPLC-DAD method and evaluated for the inhibitory activities on the production of the LPS-stimulated cytokines (IL-12p40, IL-6, and TNF-α) in bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). The contents of this compounds were 0.1928 ± 0.0118, 4.4137 ± 0.0240, 0.5237 ± 0.0005, 2.7303 ± 0.0206 mg/g for sparoside A (1), methyl 2,4-dihydroxy-3-methoxy-6-methylbenzoate (2), sparalide A (3), and 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (4), respectively, which demonstrated that they are the major constituents of this mushroom. Thus, our results were found that the sparoside A (1), 5-hydroxy-7-methoxyphthalide (6), 5-methoxy-7-hydroxyphthalide (7), nicotinamide (10), and adenosine (11) inhibit LPS-stimualted cytokine production, compound 6 is the most potent inhibitory activities on the production of IL-12p40, IL-6, and TNF-α with IC₅₀ values of 0.19, 0.18, and 0.91 μM, respectively.

Effects of Sparassis crispa in Medical Therapeutics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

In this study, we investigated the therapeutic potential and medical applications of Sparassis crispa (S. crispa) by conducting a systematic review of the existing literature and performing a meta-analysis. The original efficacy treatment of the mushroom extract is considered primarily and searched in electronic databases. A total of 623 articles were assessed, 33 randomized controlled experiments were included after the manual screening, and some papers, review articles, or editorials that did not contain data were excluded. A comparative standard means difference (SMD) and a funnel plot between control and S. crispa groups were used as parameters to demonstrate the beneficial effects of S. crispa for diabetes and cancer treatment, as well as anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antioxidant activities. The meta-analysis was carried out using Review Manager 5.1 software. Although for therapeutic diabetes there was heterogeneity in the subgroup analysis (I² = 91.9%), the overall results showed statistically significant SMDs in major symptoms that decreased serum insulin levels (SMD = 1.92, 95% CI (1.10, 2.75), I² = 0%), wound rates (SMD = 3.55 (2.56, 4.54), I² = 40%) and contributions to an increase in nutrient intake content (SMD = 0.32 (−0.15, 0.78), I² = 0%). Simultaneously, the study confirmed the utility of S. crispa treatment in terms of not only anti-cancer activity (reduction of tumor activity and survival of cancer cells I² = 42 and 34%, respectively) but also anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antioxidant activities (I² = 50, 44, and 10%, respectively). Our findings suggest that S. crispa extracts are useful for prevention and treatment of human diseases and might be the best candidates for future medicines.

De Novo Sequencing of a Sparassis latifolia Genome and Its Associated Comparative Analyses

Known to be rich in β-glucan, Sparassis latifolia (S. latifolia) is a valuable edible fungus cultivated in East Asia. A few studies have suggested that S. latifolia is effective on antidiabetic, antihypertension, antitumor, and antiallergen medications. However, it is still unclear genetically why the fungus has these medical effects, which has become a key bottleneck for its further applications. To provide a better understanding of this fungus, we sequenced its whole genome, which has a total size of 48.13 megabases (Mb) and contains 12,471 predicted gene models. We then performed comparative and phylogenetic analyses, which indicate that S. latifolia is closely related to a few species in the antrodia clade including Fomitopsis pinicola, Wolfiporia cocos, Postia placenta, and Antrodia sinuosa. Finally, we annotated the predicted genes. Interestingly, the S. latifolia genome encodes most enzymes involved in carbohydrate and glycoconjugate metabolism and is also enriched in genes encoding enzymes critical to secondary metabolite biosynthesis and involved in indole, terpene, and type I polyketide pathways. As a conclusion, the genome content of S. latifolia sheds light on its genetic basis of the reported medicinal properties and could also be used as a reference genome for comparative studies on fungi.

Clinical and Physiological Perspectives of β-Glucans: The Past, Present, and Future

β-Glucans are a group of biologically-active fibers or polysaccharides from natural sources with proven medical significance. β-Glucans are known to have antitumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, anti-allergic, anti-osteoporotic, and immunomodulating activities. β-Glucans are natural bioactive compounds and can be taken orally, as a food supplement, or as part of a daily diet, and are considered safe to use. The medical significance and efficiency of β-glucans are confirmed in vitro, as well as using animal- and human-based clinical studies. However, systematic study on the clinical and physiological significance of β-glucans is scarce. In this review, we not only discuss the clinical and physiological importance of β-glucans, we also compare their biological activities through the existing in vitro and animal-based in vivo studies. This review provides extensive data on the clinical study of β-glucans.

New Aromatic Compounds from the Fruiting Body of Sparassis crispa (Wulf.) and Their Inhibitory Activities on Proprotein Convertase Subtilisin/Kexin Type 9 mRNA Expression

Successive chromatography of EtOAc-soluble extracts of the fruiting body of Sparassis crispa (Wulf.) resulted in isolation of four new aromatic compounds, sparoside A (1) and sparalides A-C (3-5), two new naturally occurring compounds, 2 and 6, and eight known compounds, 7-14. The chemical structures were determined by interpretation of nuclear magnetic resonance and mass spectrometry spectroscopic data. Extract, solvent-soluble fractions of the extract, and all of the pure compounds isolated from the fractions were subjected to the mRNA expression assay for proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9). Among them, sparoside A (1), hanabiratakelide A (8), adenosine (11), and 5α,6α-epoxy-(22E,24R)-ergosta-8(14),22-diene-3β,7β-diol (14) exhibited potent inhibitory activities on PCSK9 mRNA expression, with IC₅₀ values of 20.07, 7.18, 18.46, and 8.23 μM, respectively (berberine, positive control, IC₅₀ = 8.04 μM), suggesting that compounds 1, 8, 11, and 14 are suitable for use in supplements to the statins for hyperlipidemia treatments.

Pharmacological Modulation of Radiation Damage. Does It Exist a Chance for Other Substances than Hematopoietic Growth Factors and Cytokines?

In recent times, cytokines and hematopoietic growth factors have been at the center of attention for many researchers trying to establish pharmacological therapeutic procedures for the treatment of radiation accident victims. Two granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-based radiation countermeasures have been approved for the treatment of the hematopoietic acute radiation syndrome. However, at the same time, many different substances with varying effects have been tested in animal studies as potential radioprotectors and mitigators of radiation damage. A wide spectrum of these substances has been studied, comprising various immunomodulators, prostaglandins, inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis, agonists of adenosine cell receptors, herbal extracts, flavonoids, vitamins, and others. These agents are often effective, relatively non-toxic, and cheap. This review summarizes the results of animal experiments, which show the potential for some of these untraditional or new radiation countermeasures to become a part of therapeutic procedures applicable in patients with the acute radiation syndrome. The authors consider β-glucan, 5-AED (5-androstenediol), meloxicam, γ-tocotrienol, genistein, IB-MECA (N⁶-(3-iodobezyl)adenosine-5'-N-methyluronamide), Ex-RAD (4-carboxystyryl-4-chlorobenzylsulfone), and entolimod the most promising agents, with regards to their contingent use in clinical practice.

Mushrooms, Tumors, and Immunity: An Update

There is significant interest in the use of mushrooms and/or mushroom extracts as dietary supplements based on theories that they enhance immune function and promote health. To some extent, select mushrooms have been shown to have stimulatory action on immune responsiveness, particularly when studied in vitro. However, despite their widespread use for potential health benefits, there is a surprising paucity of epidemiologic and experimental studies that address the biologic activities of mushrooms after oral administration to animals or humans. There have been a number of studies that have addressed the ability of mushrooms to modulate mononuclear cell activation and the phenotypic expression of cytokines and their cognate receptors. There have also been a number of attempts to determine antitumor activities of mushrooms. Such studies are important because many of the components of mushrooms do potentially have significant biologic activity. All data, however, should be tempered by the Possibility that there are toxic levels of metals, including arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury as well as the presence of radioactive contamination with 137Cs. In this review, we will Present the comparative biology with respect to both immunological and antitumor activities of mushroom extracts and also highlight the need for further evidence-based research.

Mitochondria Related Pathway Is Essential for Polysaccharides Purified from Sparassis crispa Mediated Neuro-Protection against Glutamate-Induced Toxicity in Differentiated PC12 Cells

The present study aims to explore the neuro-protective effects of purified Sparassis crispa polysaccharides against l-glutamic acid (l-Glu)-induced differentiated PC12 (DPC12) cell damages and its underlying mechanisms. The Sparassis crispa water extract was purified by a DEAE-52 cellulose anion exchange column and a Sepharose G-100 column. A fraction with a molecular weight of 75 kDa and a diameter of 88.9 nm, entitled SCWEA, was obtained. SCWEA was identified with a triple helix with (1→3)-linked Rha in the backbone, and (1→2) linkages and (1→6) linkages in the side bone. Our results indicated that the pre-treatment of DPC12 cells with SCWEA prior to l-Glu exposure effectively reversed the reduction on cell viability (by 3-(4,5-cimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay) and reduced l-Glu-induced apoptosis (by Hoechst staining). SCWEA decreased the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species, blocked Ca²⁺ influx and prevented depolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential in DPC12 cells. Furthermore, SCWEA normalized expression of anti-apoptotic proteins in l-Glu-explored DPC12 cells. These results suggested that SCWEA protects against l-Glu-induced neuronal apoptosis in DPC12 cells and may be a promising candidate for treatment against neurodegenerative disease.

Immune augmentation and Dalton's Lymphoma tumor inhibition by glucans/glycans isolated from the mycelia and fruit body of Pleurotus ostreatus

With the increase in cancer progression, alternatives in the medicinal field with minimal side effects need to be ascertained. In this context, for the first time novel glucans/glycans isolated from the mycelia and fruit body of Pleurotus ostreatus have been compared for their exquisite property as immunoceuticals. Glucans from both the sources displayed immunological functions which include lymphocyte proliferation, macrophage activation (nitric oxide production, ROS generation, phagocytosis, TNF-α production) as well as macrophage and NK cell mediated cytotoxicity. In vivo studies with Dalton's Lymphoma mice tumor model further enumerated the immune enhancing and tumor regression potential of the two glucan molecules. Highest tumor inhibition of about 75% and 71.4% were observed at 20mg/kg of mycelia and fruit body glucan/glycan treatments. A concomitant increase in the survival period of glucan treated tumor bearing mice was found to be primarily associated with immune boosting and apoptosis of cancerous cells. Both the glucan molecules exhibited similar degree of immune response at the systemic level with only subtle amount of differences in two dimensional in vitro cultures. Efficacy of glucans/glycans as immunomodulators may thereby provide decisive leads in strengthening the immune system along with other therapies.

Cloning and Molecular Characterization of β-1,3-Glucan Synthase from Sparassis crispa

A β-glucan synthase gene was isolated from the genomic DNA of polypore mushroom Sparassis crispa, which reportedly produces unusually high amount of soluble β-1,3-glucan (β-glucan). Sequencing and subsequent open reading frame analysis of the isolated gene revealed that the gene (5,502 bp) consisted of 10 exons separated by nine introns. The predicted mRNA encoded a β-glucan synthase protein, consisting of 1,576 amino acid residues. Comparison of the predicted protein sequence with multiple fungal β-glucan synthases estimated that the isolated gene contained a complete N-terminus but was lacking approximately 70 amino acid residues in the C-terminus. Fungal β-glucan synthases are integral membrane proteins, containing the two catalytic and two transmembrane domains. The lacking C-terminal part of S. crispa β-glucan synthase was estimated to include catalytically insignificant transmembrane α-helices and loops. Sequence analysis of 101 fungal β-glucan synthases, obtained from public databases, revealed that the β-glucan synthases with various fungal origins were categorized into corresponding fungal groups in the classification system. Interestingly, mushrooms belonging to the class Agaricomycetes were found to contain two distinct types (Type I and II) of β-glucan synthases with the type-specific sequence signatures in the loop regions. S. crispa β-glucan synthase in this study belonged to Type II family, meaning Type I β-glucan synthase is expected to be discovered in S. crispa. The high productivity of soluble β-glucan was not explained but detailed biochemical studies on the catalytic loop domain in the S. crispa β-glucan synthase will provide better explanations.

Isolation and characterization of extracellular polysaccharide Thelebolan produced by a newly isolated psychrophilic Antarctic fungus Thelebolus

The present investigation is on a newly isolated psychrophilic Antarctic filamentous Ascomycetous fungus that has been identified as Thelebolus sp. and given the designation of Thelebolus sp. IITKGP-BT12. The culture was primarily identified through morphological studies, and was further confirmed by 18S rRNA sequencing (GenBank Accession No. KC191572), which revealed its close relatedness with Thelebolus microsporus. The exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced (1.94 g L(-1)) by the fungus was isolated, purified and characterized as glucan having an average molecular mass of 5×10(5)Da. The structure of EPS was determined by gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies ((1)H, (13)C and HSQC). NMR analysis indicated the presence of (1→3)-linked β-d-glucan backbone with (1→6)-linked branches of β-d-glucopyranosyl units. Antiproliferative activity of EPS was demonstrated in B16-F0 cells, with IC50 of 275.42 μg m L(-1). Flow cytometry analysis and DNA fragmentation studies revealed that the cytotoxic action of the EPS mediated apoptosis in cancer cells. This is the first ever report on bioactive EPS thelebolan from Thelebolus sp.