Reversal of inhibition of reactive oxygen species on respiratory burst of macrophages by polysaccharide from Coriolus versicolor

COVID-19 and Cancer Diseases-The Potential of Coriolus versicolor Mushroom to Combat Global Health Challenges

Coriolus versicolor (CV) is a common species from the Polyporaceae family that has been used in traditional Chinese herbal medicine for over 2000 years. Among well-described and most active compounds identified in CV are polysaccharopeptides, such as polysaccharide peptide (PSP) and Polysaccharide-K (PSK, krestin), which, in some countries, are already used as an adjuvant agent in cancer therapy. In this paper, research advances in the field of anti-cancer and anti-viral action of CV are analyzed. The results of data obtained in in vitro and in vivo studies using animal models as well as in clinical research trials have been discussed. The present update provides a brief overview regarding the immunomodulatory effects of CV. A particular focus has been given to the mechanisms of direct effects of CV on cancer cells and angiogenesis. A potential use of CV compounds in anti-viral treatment, including therapy against COVID-19 disease, has also been analyzed based on the most recent literature. Additionally, the significance of fever in viral infection and cancer has been debated, providing evidence that CV affects this phenomenon.

Antioxidant activities of Sophora subprosrate polysaccharide in immunosuppressed mice

It is known that the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and free radicals play multiple roles in some pathological events. Sophora subprosrate polysaccharide (SSP1), a natural polysaccharide with a mean molecular weight of 2.24 x 10(4), isolated from the roots of Sophora subprosrate was studied for its antioxidant activities in mice. The in vivo investigation demonstrated that intraperitoneal administration of SSP1 was able to overcome cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression and significantly raised glutathione level, superoxidase dismutase activity, total antioxidant capacity, thymus and spleen indices in a dose-dependent manner in mice. The results showed that the SSP1, possessing pronounced free radical scavenging and antioxidant activities, may play an important role in prevention of oxidative damage in immunological system.

Modulation of radiation-induced disturbances of antioxidant defense systems by ginsan

There are numerous studies to indicate that irradiation induces reactive oxygen species (ROS), which play an important causative role in radiation damage of the cell. We evaluated the effects of ginsan, a polysaccharide fraction extracted from Panax ginseng, on the γ-radiation induced alterations of some antioxidant systems in the spleen of Balb/c mice. On the 5th day after sublethal whole-body irradiation, homogenized spleen tissues of the irradiated mice expressed only marginally increased mRNA levels of Mn-SOD (superoxide dimutase) in contrast to Cu/Zn-SOD, however, catalase mRNA was decreased by ∼50% of the control. In vivo treatment of non-irradiated mice with ginsan (100 mg kg⁻¹, intraperitoneal administration) had no significant effect, except for glutathione peroxidase (GPx) mRNA, which increased to 144% from the control. However, the combination of irradiation with ginsan effectively increased the SODs and GPx transcription as well as their protein expressions and enzyme activities. In addition, the expression of heme oxygenase-1 and non-protein thiol induced by irradiation was normalized by the treatment of ginsan. Evidence indicated that transforming growth factor-β and other important cytokines such as IL-1, TNF and IFN-γ might be involved in evoking the antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, we propose that the modulation of antioxidant enzymes by ginsan was partly responsible for protecting the animal from radiation, and could be applied as a therapeutic remedy for various ROS-related diseases.

Polysaccharopeptides of Coriolus versicolor: physiological activity, uses, and production

The protein-bound polysaccharides or polysaccharopeptides produced by Coriolus versicolor are effective immunopotentiators, which are used to supplement the chemotherapy and radiotherapy of cancers and various infectious diseases. Antitumor activity of polysaccharopeptides has been documented. Several kinds of protein-bound polysaccharides have been shown to be produced by the white rot fungus, C. versicolor. Although some of these polymers are structurally distinct, they are not distinguishable in terms of their physiological activity. This review focuses on the physiologically active polysaccharopeptides of C. versicolor. In nature, C. versicolor occurs as a mushroom body, but the fungus can be grown as mycelial biomass in submerged culture in bioreactors. Mushrooms gathered in the wild, cultivated mushrooms, and the mycelial biomass of submerged culture are used to produce the polysaccharopeptides. Submerged cultures are typically carried out in batches lasting 5-7 days and at 25-27 degrees C. Hot water extraction of the biomass is used to recover the thermostable polysaccharopeptides that are concentrated, purified, and dried into a powder for medicinal use. In view of the documented physiological benefits of these compounds, extensive research is underway on the structure, composition, production methods, and use of new C. versicolor strains for producing the therapeutic biopolymers. Properties, physiological activity, recovery, and purification of the bioactive polysaccharopeptides are discussed.

Protective effect of polysaccharide from the loach on the in vitro and in vivo peroxidative damage of hepatocyte

Misgurnus anguillicaudatus polysaccharide (MAP), a type of natural neutral polysaccharide occurring in the mucus of Misgurnus anguillicaudatus C., was studied for antioxidant bioactivity. The preliminary research showed that MAP was able to remove O(2)*, HO., H(2)O(2) and other active compounds of oxygen and significantly protected DNA chains from being damaged by hydroxyl radicals. This antioxidant bioactivity was further evaluated using the model of peroxide-induced oxidative injury in rat primary hepatocytes and hepatotoxity in mice. The results demonstrated that MAP, at the concentrations of 0.10 approximately 0.40 mg/ml, significantly increased the activity of SOD and GSH-px, but decreased the consumption of reduced glutathione and the formation of malondialdehyde induced by a 30-min treatment of H(2)O(2) (2.0 mmol/L). The in vivo investigation showed that oral pretreatment of MAP (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg) for 7 days before a single dose of t-BHP (0.2 mmol/kg, ip) significantly lowered the serum levels of hepatic enzyme markers (alanine and aspartate aminotransferase) and reduced oxidative liver injury. The histopathological evaluation of the liver revealed that MAP reduced the incidence of liver lesions including inflammatory, leukocyte infiltration, and necrosis induced by t-BHP in mice. Based on the results described above, a conclusion can be drown that MAP may play an important role in the prevention of oxidative damage in living systems.

Reduction of the oxidative injury to the rabbits with established atherosclerosis by protein bound polysaccharide from Coriolus vesicolor

Recent evidence has emerged that macrophage glutathione (GSH) content and selenium dependent glutathione peroxidase (SeGSHPx) activity are inversely related to cell-mediated oxidation of LDL, and intervention means to enhance the macrophage GSH-SeGSHPx status may contribute to attenuation of the atherosclerotic process. Our previous works showed that protein bound polysaccharide (PSK) injected intraperitoneally could enhance SeGSHPx activity and mRNA content of mouse macrophages. The aim of the present study is to demonstrate whether PSK can reduce the oxidative injury to the established atherosclerotic rabbits. Using the established atherosclerotic rabbit model, we studied the effect of PSK on oxidatively modified LDL (Ox-LDL), lipoperoxide (LPO) cholesterol contents and SeGSHPx activities of plasma and tissues (aorta, heart and liver) in the established atherosclerotic rabbits. As compared with the control group, Ox-LDL, LPO and cholesterol contents were much lower; SeGSHPx activities and SeGSHPx/LPO ratios were much higher in plasma and tissues (aorta, heart and liver); and the lesion area of aortae was reduced in the PSK group. Through the increment of SeGSHPx activity in macrophages and aortae, PSK enhances their antioxidation potentiality and improves the antioxidant/prooxidant imbalance in them, and thus decreases Ox-LDL, LPO and cholesterol contents of plasma and tissues, and regresses lesion area of aortae in the established atherosclerotic rabbits.

The effect of tert-butyl hydroperoxide on peritoneal macrophages and the protective effect of protein-bound polysaccharide administered intraperitoneally and orally

Our previous studies have shown that a protein-bound polysaccharide, polysaccharide krestin (PSK), can protect macrophages from lipoperoxidative injury induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tbOOH) and oxidatively modified low density lipoprotein (O-LDL). PSK was administered intraperitoneally to mice, and the peritoneal macrophages harvested were used as an experimental model. PSK does not reveal any protective effect on macrophages injured by tbOOH when incubated in vitro. In order to elucidate its mode of action, in the present study, the protective effects of PSK were further investigated using morphological changes and viability as indices. It was shown that, compared with the non-PSK group, the viability of macrophages was much higher in the PSK group, and the morphological changes in the PSK group were much less than those in the non-PSK group. The protective effect of PSK administered intraperitoneally and orally on macrophages injured by tbOOH was comparable. Furthermore, the serum of the PSK treated mice had the same protective effect.

PSK protects macrophages from lipoperoxide accumulation and foam cell formation caused by oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein

In previous works, it has been evidenced that lipoperoxidative injury to macrophages caused by oxidatively modified low-density lipoprotein (O-LDL) plays an important role in foam cell formation, and that PSK, a protein bound polysaccharide extracted from the class Basidiomycetes Coriolus Versicolor, can protect macrophages from lipoperoxidative injury induced by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tbOOH). In this paper PSK protection of macrophages from lipoperoxide (LPO) accumulation and foam cell formation caused by O-LDL and its action mechanism were further studied. The LPO accumulation was determined by using ACAS 570. Dynamic assay of the LPO level in eight single cells after adding O-LDL or determination of the average LPO content in a lot of cells incubated in advance with O-LDL for 12 h, both indicated that O-LDL might induce LPO accumulation in macrophages and the effects of O-LDL could be prevented by PSK. O-LDL might cause the changes of morphological structure in macrophages and the transformation of macrophages into foam cells, and the effects could also be prevented by PSK. The determination of selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (SeGSHPx) activities and mRNA contents of macrophages and changes of SeGSHPx activity and mRNA content after incubation with tbOOH showed that PSK might increase the SeGSHPx activity of macrophage and the enhanced SeGSHPx activity may occur at the level of gene transcription.