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Fucoidan is widely applied in food and pharmaceutical industry for the promising bioactivities. Low-molecular weight hydrolyzed fucoidan has gained attention for its beneficial health effects. Here, the modulation on microbiome and metabolome features of fucoidan and its acidolyzed derivatives (HMAF, 1.5-20 kDa; LMAF, <1.5 kDa) were investigated through human fecal cultures. Fucose is the main monosaccharide component in fucoidan and LMAF, while HMAF contains abundant glucuronic acid. LMAF fermentation resulted in the highest production of short-chain fatty acids, with acetate and propionate reaching maximum levels of 13.46 mmol/L and 11.57 mmol/L, respectively. Conversely, HMAF exhibited a maximum butyrate production of 9.28 mmol/L. Both fucoidan and acidolyzed derivatives decreased the abundance of Escherichia-Shigella and Klebsiella in human fecal cultures. Fucoidan and HMAF prefer to improve the abundance of Bacteroides. However, LMAF showed positive influence on Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, and Megamonas. Untargeted metabolome indicated that fucoidan and its derivatives mainly altered the metabolic level of lipids, indole, and their derivatives, with fucoidan and HMAF promoting higher level of indole-3-propionic acid and indole-3-carboxaldehyde compared to LMAF. Considering the chemical structural differences, this study suggested that hydrolyzed fucoidan can provide potential therapeutic applications for targeted regulation of microbial communities., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Numerous kinds of bioactive polysaccharides are identified as having intestinal immunomodulatory activity; however, the ways in which the different polysaccharides work differ. Therefore, we selected nine representative bioactive polysaccharides, including xanthan gum, inulin, guar gum, arabinogalactan, carrageenan, glucomannan, araboxylan, xylan, and fucoidan, and compared their intestinal immunomodulatory mechanisms. A cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immunosuppressed model was used in this experiment, and the effects of these polysaccharides on the number of T cells in the intestinal mucosa, expression of transcription factors and inflammatory factors, intestinal metabolome and gut microbiota were compared and discussed. The results revealed that the nine polysaccharides promote intestinal immunity in different ways. In detail, guar gum, inulin and glucomannan better alleviated immune suppression in intestinal mucosal T cells. Inulin improved the intestinal microenvironment by significantly upregulating the abundance of Lactobacillus and Monoglobus and promoted short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. Fucoidan and carrageenan promoted the colonization of the beneficial bacteria Rikenella and Roseburia . In addition, fucoidan, inulin and carrageenan inhibited the colonization of harmful bacteria Helicobacter , upregulated the abundance of Clostridia&#95;UCG-014 and alleviated the accumulation of amino acids, bile acids and indoles in the large intestine. In conclusion, our study uncovered the different intestinal immunomodulatory mechanisms of the different polysaccharides and provided a guideline for the development of superior intestinal immunomodulatory polysaccharides.

Nowadays, consumers are increasingly aware of the relationship between diet and health, showing a greater preference of products from natural origin. In the last decade, seaweeds have outlined as one of the natural sources with more potential to obtain bioactive carbohydrates. Numerous seaweed polysaccharides have aroused the interest of the scientific community, due to their biological activities and their high potential on biomedical, functional food and technological applications. To obtain polysaccharides from seaweeds, it is necessary to find methodologies that improve both yield and quality and that they are profitable. Nowadays, environmentally friendly extraction technologies are a viable alternative to conventional methods for obtaining these products, providing several advantages like reduced number of solvents, energy and time. On the other hand, chemical modification of their structure is a useful approach to improve their solubility and biological properties, and thus enhance the extent of their potential applications since some uses of polysaccharides are still limited. The present review aimed to compile current information about the most relevant seaweed polysaccharides, available extraction and modification methods, as well as a summary of their biological activities, to evaluate knowledge gaps and future trends for the industrial applications of these compounds.Key teaching pointsStructure and biological functions of main seaweed polysaccharides.Emerging extraction methods for sulfate polysaccharides.Chemical modification of seaweeds polysaccharides.Potential industrial applications of seaweed polysaccharides.Biological activities, knowledge gaps and future trends of seaweed polysaccharides.

The release of lysosomal hydrolase into the cytoplasm is accompanied by several systems of apoptosis signal transduction, and the imbalance between cell viability and apoptosis induces tumorigenesis. Tea polysaccharides (TPs) are the main bioactive components in green tea with hopeful anti-tumor efficacy, while their mechanism is still unclear. Here, TPs significantly promoted the death of colon cancer cell line CT26. RNA-seq results showed that the signal pathways up-regulated by TPs included lysosome pathways, apoptosis, the release of mitochondrial pigment c and programmed cell death. Among them, the results of AO-EB and annexin V-FITC/PI double staining indicated that TPs significantly up-regulated apoptosis. In addition, TPs significantly disrupted the function of lysosomes, which would cause mitochondrial damage. Intriguingly, TPs treatment increased the expression of Bak1, cleaved caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-3, but decreased the level of Bcl-2 and mitochondrial membrane potential, which indicated that TPs induced mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Moreover, TPs ameliorated the reduced lysosomal numbers by Baf A1 (lysosomal inhibitor). Therefore, our data indicated that TPs targeted lysosomes and induced apoptosis by a lysosomal-mitochondrial pathway mediated caspase cascade, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of CT26 cells. In short, the data would help the development of TPs as potential cancer drug therapeutics.

The homeostasis between mitochondrial function and autophagy is crucial to the physiological activity of cancer cells, and its mechanism is conducive to the development of anti-tumor drugs. Here, we aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) on colon cancer cell line CT26. Our data showed that DOP significantly inhibited the proliferation of CT26 cells and elevated autophagy level. Moreover, DOP disrupted mitochondrial function through increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reducing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), thereby impairing ATP biosynthesis, which activated AMPK/mTOR autophagy signaling. Intriguingly, the further experiments demonstrated that DOP-induced cytotoxicity, excessive autophagy and mitochondrial dysfunction were reversed after CT26 cells pretreated with antioxidant (N-acetyl-l-cysteine). Herein, these findings implied that DOP-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and cytotoxic autophagy repressed the propagation of CT26 cells via ROS-ATP-AMPK signaling, providing a new opinion for the study of antineoplastic drugs., (Copyright © 2021. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Targeting autophagy and lysosome may serve as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Tea polysaccharide (TP) has shown promising antitumor effects. However, its mechanism remains elusive. Here, TP was found to have a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of colon cancer line HCT116 cells. RNA-seq analysis showed that TP upregulated autophagy and lysosome signal pathways, which was further confirmed through experiments. Immunofluorescence experiments indicated that TP activated transcription factor EB (TFEB), a key nuclear transcription factor modulating autophagy and lysosome biogenesis. In addition, TP inhibited the activity of mTOR, while it increased the expression of Lamp1. Furthermore, TP ameliorated the lysosomal damage and autophagy flux barrier caused by Baf A1 (lysosome inhibitor). Hence, our data suggested that TP repressed the proliferation of HCT116 cells by targeting lysosome to induce cytotoxic autophagy, which might be achieved through mTOR-TFEB signaling. In summary, TP may be used as a potential drug to overcome colon cancer.

Diabetes mellitus is a serious threat to human health. Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja (C.paliurus) is one of the traditional herbal medicine and food in China for treating type 2 diabetes, and the C. paliurus polysaccharides (CP) were found to be one of its major functional constituents. This research aimed at investigating the hypoglycemic mechanism for CP. It was found that CP markedly attenuated the symptoms of diabetes, and inhibited the protein expression of Bax, improved the expression of Bcl-2 in pancreas of diabetic rats, normalized hormones secretion and controlled the inflammation which contributed to the regeneration of pancreatic β-cell and insulin resistance. CP treatment increased the beneficial bacteria genus Ruminococcaceae UCG-005 which was reported to be a key genus for protecting against diabetes, and the fecal short-chain fatty acids levels were elevated. Uric metabolites analysis showed that CP treatment helped to protect with the diabetes by seven significantly improved pathways closely with the nutrition metabolism (amino acids and purine) and energy metabolism (TCA cycle), which could help to build up the intestinal epithelial cell defense for the inflammation associated with the diabetes. Our study highlights the specific mechanism of prebiotics to attenuate diabetes through multi-path of gut microbiota and host metabolism.

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a complicated endocrine metabolic disease, accompanied with oxidative stress injury and low-grade inflammation. The effects of polysaccharide extracted from Dendrobium officinale stem (DOP) on oxidative stress, inflammation and dysregulated metabolism in the liver of type 2 diabetic rats and its potential mechanism were evaluated in the study. Here, ultra performance liquid chromatography - quadrupole - time - of - flight (UPLC-Q-TOF) mass spectrometry-based lipidomics and metabolomics analysis were carried out to study the amelioration of DOP on the liver metabolism disorders of type 2 diabetic rats. Lipidomics analysis indicated that the disturbed degree of fatty acid, glycerolipid (diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol), and glycerophospholipid (phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine) metabolism were mitigated by the DOP treatment. Metabolomics analysis revealed that the DOP treatment balanced the metabolism of ceramide and bile acids, including deoxycholic acid, taurocholic acid, and cholic acid. In addition, the symptoms of oxidative stress, inflammation, and hepatic lipid accumulation of liver were ameliorated by DOP administration. The above results suggest that the study of functional ingredient application of DOP might be meaningful for the management of T2D., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The intestinal epithelium is known as an important barrier to protect the body from harmful pathogens or toxic substance that may induce intestinal barrier injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of polysaccharide from the seeds of Plantago asiatica L. (PLP) on nonylphenol (NP) induced intestinal barrier injury in vitro. Caco-2 cells were pretreated with PLP, or co-cultured with PLP and NP simultaneously, and cytotoxicity, LDH leakage, transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER), FITC-dextran flux and tight junction (TJ) proteins were conducted to evaluate the intestinal barrier function. The results suggested that PLP pretreatment or co-culture with NP could significantly attenuated NP induced Caco-2 cytotoxicity, suppressed LDH release, restored the TEER value and paracellular permeability of Caco-2 monolayers, which were attributed to enhancing the TJ protein expressions. In addition, PLP co-cultured with NP possessed better protective effects against NP induced cytotoxicity. This study indicated that PLP assuaged NP induced intestinal barrier injury by increasing TJ, and threw light on the development of a dietary supplementation for preventing exogenous toxic substances induced intestinal barrier injury or improving intestinal TJ barrier function., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Diabetes mellitus is a serious threat to human health. Tea is cultivated around the world, and its polysaccharide components are reported to be an effective approach for managing type 2 diabetes with fewer adverse effects than medication. To examine the therapeutic effect of tea polysaccharides on diabetes, a type 2 diabetic rat model was generated. We showed that tea polysaccharides remarkably decreased fasting blood glucose and the levels of total cholesterol, total triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and free fatty acid of type 2 diabetic rats. 16S rRNA sequencing and metabolomics were used to investigate the variation of gut microbiota and the metabolites profiles of diabetic rats after intervention of tea polysaccharides. We found that tea polysaccharides maintained the diversity of gut microbiota and restored the relative abundance of some bacterial genera ( Lachnospira , Victivallis , Roseburia , and Fluviicola ) which was reduced by diabetes. According to metabolomics analysis, we found that amino acid and other related metabolites was influenced by tea polysaccharides intervention. Correlation analysis among metabolites, gut microbiota, and parameters of hypoglycemic indicated that tea polysaccharides had hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effect on type 2 diabetes via the modulation of gut microbiota and the improvement of host metabolism.

The antidiabetic function of polysaccharides prepared from six legumes: soybean, white kidney bean, red kidney bean, small black soybean, field bean, lentil were studied. Six legume polysaccharides' antidiabetic function in high-fat diet and streptozotocin-induced type II diabetic mice were compared. Their effects on body weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated serum protein (GSP), serum insulin levels (HOMA-IR), blood lipids (including total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c)) were tested. Results showed that red kidney bean polysaccharides (RK) could alleviate the symptoms of emaciation, decreased the levels of FBG, GSP, TC, LDL-c and obviously reduced the concentration of TG and HOMA-IR (p < 0.05). RK exhibited greater antidiabetic potential in type II diabetic mice, compared with other legume polysaccharides. The chemical composition of six legume polysaccharides were determined. Composition analysis indicated that the six legume polysaccharides were obviously different in moisture, ash, neutral sugar, uronic acid, total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, amino acid composition and monosaccharide composition. Results indicated that the antidiabetic activities of RK might due to its higher content and specific structure of polysaccharide., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest We declare that we have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Cordyceps sinensis is thought to have anti-cancer effects, but its mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we aimed to investigate the anti-cancer effect of Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharide (CSP) on human colon cancer cell line (HCT116) and its mechanism. Results indicated that CSP significantly inhibited the proliferation of HCT116 cells, increased autophagy and apoptosis, while blocked autophagy flux and lysosome formation. Further experiments showed that CSP decreased the expression of PI3K and phosphorylation level of AKT and mTOR, increased the expression of AMPKa and phosphorylation level of ULK1. In addition, repression of CSP-induced autophagy by bafilomycin (autophagy inhibitor) enhanced apoptosis and cell death of HCT116 cells. Hence, our findings suggested that CSP inhibited the proliferation of HCT116 cells by inducing apoptosis and autophagy flux blockage, which might be achieved through PI3K-AKT-mTOR and AMPK-mTOR-ULK1 signaling. CSP may be a potential therapeutic agent for colon cancer., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest Authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory macrophages model and intestinal-like Caco-2/macrophages co-culture inflammation model were established to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect and underlying mechanism of Ganoderma atrum polysaccharides (PSG-1). It was found that PSG-1 reduced LPS-induced secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β), ROS levels, and inhibited the expression of COX-2 in LPS-stimulated inflammatory macrophages model and intestinal-like Caco-2/macrophages co-culture inflammation model. Furthermore, PSG-1 suppressed the LPS-induced activation of MAPKs signaling pathways, and regulated oxidative stress by activating the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathways. These above results indicated that PSG-1 not only has a direct anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-induced inflammatory macrophages model, but also has an indirect anti-inflammatory effect in intestinal-like Caco-2/macrophages co-culture inflammation model. These findings provide new insight of the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory activities of PSG-1, and facilitated the expansion of the application of PSG-1 in natural functional food., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study aimed to investigate the protective effect of cultured Cordyceps sinensis polysaccharides (CSP) on cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced intestinal mucosal immunosuppression and microbial dysbiosis in mice. Results showed that CSP stimulated cytokines secretion (IL-12, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-13, IL-6, IL-17, IL-10, TGF-β3, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-21) and transcription factors production (T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt, Foxp3). TLRs (TLR-2, TLR-4, TLR-6) and NF-κB pathway key proteins (p-IκB-α, NF-κB p65) were also upregulated after CSP administration. Moreover, CSP recovered SCFAs levels which decreased by Cy treatment. Furthermore, 16S rRNA sequencing of fecal samples was performed. α-diversity and β-diversity analysis revealed CSP improved microbial community diversity and modulated the overall structure of gut microbiota. Taxonomic composition analysis found that CSP increased the abundance of probiotics (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Bacteroides) and decreased pathogenic bacteria (Clostridium, Flexispira). These findings suggested the potential of CSP as a prebiotics to reduce side effects of Cy on intestinal mucosal immunity and gut microbiota., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no competing financial interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanisms of Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) on cyclophosphamide (Cy)-induced intestinal mucosal dysfunction in mice. Results showed that PSG-1 promoted the formation of IgA-secreting cells, modulated sIgA, IgE, IgG, IgM secretion, and improved TLR-2, TLR-4, TLR-6 mRNA levels while these factors were suppressed after Cy treatment. CD4 + and CD8 + T cell numbers were also elevated by PSG-1. Cytokines including IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, IL-12p70, IL-4, IL-1β, IL-17, IL-21, IL-23, TGF-β3 and transcription factors including T-bet, GATA-3, RORγt, Foxp3 increased after PSG-1 administration. Besides, PSG-1 reversed goblet cell numbers, and upregulated tight junction proteins like ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1 in immunosuppressed mice. Apart from these, the autophagy-related proteins LC3, Beclin-1, Atg5 and Atg7 were enhanced by PSG-1. These findings demonstrated that PSG-1 could ameliorate Cy-induced impairment of intestinal immunity and mucosal integrity, which maybe associated with autophagy in mice., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The study aimed to investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Ganoderma atrum (G. atrum) polysaccharide (PSG-1) on macrophage injury induced by acrolein. The results showed that PSG-1 restored the cell viability damaged by acrolein. In addition, PSG-1 significantly reduced the acrolein-induced occurrence of apoptosis via increase of Bcl-2 expression, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), decrease of ROS, cytochrome c (Cyt-C), caspase-3, caspase-9. Moreover, the overexpressions of autophagy-related proteins (LC3, Beclin-1, Atg7 and Atg5) were suppressed by PSG-1, which demonstrated that PSG-1 inhibited autophagy in acrolein treated macrophage. Beside, PSG-1 significantly elevated the expression level of p-mTOR, suggested that PSG-1 mediated autophagy through mTOR pathway. Furthermore, inhibitor of autophagy could inhibit apoptosis in acrolein-induced macrophage, suggesting that autophagy may be involved in the regulation of apoptosis. In summary, the present study demonstrated that PSG-1 protected acrolein-induced macrophage injury via autophagy-dependent apoptosis., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Previous studies have proven that polysaccharide obtained from the seeds of Plantago asiatica L. (PLCP) could induce maturation of murine dendritic cells, promote defecation, and possess antioxidant activity in vitro . However, the effect of PLCP on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced liver injury in mice has been rarely reported. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effect of PLCP on LPS-induced liver injury. Mice were pretreated orally with different dose of PLCP for 3 weeks. On day 22, they were injected intraperitoneally with LPS and sacrificed 12 h later. The results showed that PLCP inhibited the excessive production of tumor necrosis factor- α , interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, IL-2, and IL-1 β in mouse serum and liver. PLCP also improved glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity activities in mouse liver. In addition, PLCP inhibited nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 expression, and increased metallothionein production in mouse liver. Consequently, PLCP may possess protective effects on inflammatory associated liver injury.

Fucoidan, the complex fucose-containing sulphated polysaccharide varies considerably in structure, composition, and bioactivity, depending on the source, species, seasonality, and extraction method. In this study, we examined five fucoidans extracted from the same seaweed species Undaria pinnatifida but from different geological locations, and compared them to the laboratory-grade fucoidan from Sigma (S). The five products differed in molecular composition. The amount of over 2 kDa low molecular weight fraction (LMWF) of the New Zealand crude fucoidan (S1) was larger than that of S, and this fraction was unique, compared to the other four fucoidans. The difference of molecular compositions between S and S1 explained our previous observation that S1 exhibited different anticancer profile in some cancer cell lines, compared with S. Since we observed this unique LMWF, we compared the cytotoxic effects of a LMWF and a high molecular weight fucoidan (HMWF) in two breast cancer cell lines-MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231. Results indicated that the molecular weight is a critical factor in determining the anti-cancer potential of fucoidan, from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida , as the LMWF exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition on the proliferation of breast cancer cells, significantly better than the HMWF, in both cell lines. A time-dependent inhibition was only observed in the MCF-7. Induction of caspase-dependent apoptosis was observed in the MDA-MB-231 cells, through the intrinsic apoptosis pathway alone, or with the extrinsic pathway. LMWF stimulated a dose-dependent NOS activation in the MDA-MB-231 cells. In conclusion, the fucoidan extracted from the New Zealand U. pinnatifida contains a unique LMWF, which could effectively inhibit the growth of breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, the LMWF from New Zealand U. pinnatifida could be used as a supplement cancer treatment.

Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide extracted from brown seaweeds, has been shown to possess various bioactivities. In particular, low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF) has been shown to have better bioactivities. In this study, a LMWF (<10 kDa) was extracted from New Zealand Undaria pinnatifida and investigated for its immune modulation effects. LMWF at a concentration range from 1 to 50 μg/mL exerted an effective immune activation in RAW264.7 macrophages. LMWF treatment promoted significant NO release, iNOS expression, and TNF-α and IL-6 secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. It also significantly stimulated the activation of NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, and specific inhibitors of NF-κB and MAPK pathways diminished the stimulation, confirming the activation pathways. These results indicate that LMWF possesses potential health benefits through immune-stimulation, which may lead to future pharmaceutical development.

The human gut is colonized with a vast and diverse microbial ecosystem, and these bacteria play fundamental roles in the well being of our bodies. Gut-associated lymphoid tissues, the largest mucosal immune system, should never be overlooked for their profound effect in maintaining the host immunity. Therefore, we discussed the relationship between gut immunity and host health, primarily from two aspects: the homeostasis of gut microbiota, and the function of gut-associated lymphoid tissues. Polysaccharides, widely concerned as bioactive macromolecules in recent centuries, have been proved to benefit the intestinal health. Dietary polysaccharides can improve the ratio of probiotics, regulate the intestinal microenvironment like decreasing the gut pH, and stimulate the macrophages or lymphocytes in gut tissues to fight against diseases like cancer. Based on various experimental and clinical evidence, the impacts of dietary polysaccharides on intestinal health are summarized, in order to reveal the possible immunomodulatory mechanisms of polysaccharides.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), a metabolic disease becoming ever more common, is the result of disturbed glyco- and lipid metabolism. On the basis of their inhibitory effects against several key enzymes linked to T2DM, synthetic antidiabetic agents have been developed and used for diabetic therapy, some with adverse side effects. Fortunately, many plant non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs) have been shown to possess inhibitory effects on the same T2DM-related enzymes. Through a simple literature search we found that α-amylase, α-glucosidase, lipase, and dipeptidyl-peptidase IV are the enzymes most often reported in the context of T2DM. In this short review we discuss published evidence for inhibition of these enzymes and the implications for treating T2DM., (© 2017 New York Academy of Sciences.)

Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja, a well-known edible and medicinal plant, has been widely used in China as a traditional medicine for treating hypertension and diabetes. C. paliurus possesses various bioactivities, such as antihyperglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, antihypertensive, anticancer, antifatigue, antioxidation, antimicrobial, colon health-promoting, and immunological activities. Polysaccharides, as natural macromolecules with various biological activities, are considered to be the main effective components in C. paliurus. Here, we summarize studies of polysaccharides from C. paliurus over the past 20 years, including extraction and purification processes, structure, and bioactivities., (© 2017 New York Academy of Sciences.)

A water-soluble polysaccharide from Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam. (jackfruit) pulp (JFP-Ps) was purified and its physicochemical properties were investigated. The in vitro antioxidant activities of JFP-Ps was evaluated by measuring DPPH and OH radicals scavenging activities, as well as reducing power. The results showed that JFP-Ps contained 79.12% of total sugar, 5.83% of protein, 15.65% of uronic acid, and 15 kinds of amino acids with high levels of Asp, Glu, Val, Leu and Lys. JFP-Ps was mainly composed of Rha, Ara, Gal, Glc, Xyl and GalA, with an average molecular weight of 1668kDa. FT-IR results showed the bands at the range of 1200-850cm -1 suggested the presence of carbohydrates in JFP-Ps. The results of antioxidant activities showed that JFP-Ps exhibited strong DPPH and OH radical scavenging activities, with a relatively lower reducing power, suggesting that JFP-Ps can be exploited as effective natural antioxidant applications in medical and food industries., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The seeds of Cassia obtusifolia are widely used as a drink in Asia and an additive in food industry. Considerable amounts of water-soluble polysaccharides were found in the whole seeds, while conflicting results on structure characteristics have been reported, and few studies have been reported on physicochemical properties and immunomodulatory activities. In the present study, gradient ethanol precipitation was applied to fractionate the water-soluble polysaccharide (CP), and two sub-fractions CP-30 (30% ethanol precipitate) and CP-40 (40% ethanol precipitate) were obtained. Different rheological properties for CP-30 and CP-40 were found, indicating the differences in structure characteristics between CP-30 and CP-40. Chemical properties, including molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and glycosidic linkage were investigated. Compared with CP-30, CP-40 had lower molecular weight and higher content of xylose. The immunomodulatory effects of CP, CP-30 and CP-40 were assessed. All of them were found to possess significant immunomodulation activities, while varied effects of them on macrophage functions were observed. The aim of the present study was to develop a simple and efficient method to purify cassia polysaccharides, and investigate their physicochemical properties and biological activities, which was meaningful for their potential use in food industry and folk medicine., (Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Many researches show that polysaccharides derived from fungi and plants have strong pharmacological activities such as enhancing the organism immune and anti-tumor function, and have few toxic and side effects. So the polysaccharides show a wide application prospect in the prevention and therapy of tumor. The tumor microenvironment consists of tumor cells and tumor cells' surrounding environment. The tumor microenvironment not only plays a key role in the development of tumor, but also is a potential treasure for searching new ways to treat tumor. In this review, we summarized polysaccharides' regulation effects on tumor microenvironment progression and tried to give a new theoretical basis for the exploitation of polysaccharides with anti-tumor activity.

It is widely acknowledged that the excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reactive nitrogen species (RNS) induced oxidative stress will cause significant damage to cell structure and biomolecular function, directly or indirectly leading to a number of diseases. The overproduction of ROS/RNS will be balanced by nonenzymatic antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes. Polysaccharide or glycoconjugates derived from natural products are of considerable interest from the viewpoint of potent in vivo and in vitro antioxidant activities recently. Particularly, with regard to the in vitro antioxidant systems, polysaccharides are considered as effective free radical scavenger, reducing agent, and ferrous chelator in most of the reports. However, the underlying mechanisms of these antioxidant actions have not been illustrated systematically and sometimes controversial results appeared among various literatures. To address this issue, we summarized the latest discoveries and advancements in the study of antioxidative polysaccharides and gave a detailed description of the possible mechanisms.

In this study, three chemically sulfated polysaccharides (S-PSG) with different degree of sulfate substitution (DS) were derived from Ganoderma atrum. FT-IR and (13)C NMR spectra indicated that the substitution was predominantly on C-6 position compared with the C-2 position. The antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of S-PSG were further examined to determine the relationship between its structure and bioactivity. The results showed that compared with the native polysaccharide, the S-PSG-2 with moderate DS and molecular weight exhibited the highest immunomodulatory activity by increasing the macrophage phagocytosis capacity and TNF-α production. The DPPH radical scavenging activity was also greatly enhanced by S-PSG in all the groups compared with PSG. However, the reducing power and the antioxidant activities in β-carotene-linoleic acid assay were decreased. These results indicated that except for the DS, some other structural characteristics such as molecular weight, substitution position and chain conformation were also important factors affecting their bioactivities. And the S-PSG-2 we derived could be served as immunomodulator and free-radical inhibitors., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Mushroom is a kind of fungus that has been popular for its special flavour and renowned biological values. The polysaccharide contained in mushroom is regarded as one of the primary bioactive constituents and is beneficial for health. The structural features and bioactivities of mushroom polysaccharides have been studied extensively. It is believed that the diverse biological bioactivities of polysaccharides are closely related to their structure or conformation properties. In this review, the structural characteristics, conformational features and bioactivities of several mushroom polysaccharides are summarized, and their beneficial mechanisms and the relationships between their structure and bioactivities are also discussed.

Ganoderma atrum is one species of edible and pharmaceutical mushroom with various biological activities. Recently, a novel polysaccharide, PSG-1, was purified from G. atrum. The antitumor activity and its mechanism of action were studied. In vitro, PSG-1 has little effect on inhibiting proliferation of CT26 tumor cells. However, the tumor size was significantly decreased in PSG-1-treated mice. The results showed that PSG-1 induced apoptosis in CT26 cells. Moreover, the intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) level and protein kinase A (PKA) activity were markedly increased in PSG-1-treated mice. In contrast, the contents of cyclic GMP and DAG and the PKC activity were decreased. Similarly, the expression of PKA protein was upregulated, while PKC protein expression in PSG-1-treated group was lowered. Additionally, PSG-1 increased the immune organ index and serum biochemistry parameter. In general, PSG-1 enhances the antitumor immune response, induces apoptosis in CT26-bearing mice, and could be a safe and effective adjuvant for tumor therapy or functional food.

A water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from Ganoderma atrum was chemically modified to obtain its acetyled and carboxymethylated derivatives. The results of chemical analysis, Fourier-transform infrared and (13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that these modifications were successful, although the molecular weight of these derivatives decreased due to slight degradation during the reaction. The antioxidant and immunomodulating activities of these derivatives were then investigated to determine the structure-bioactivity relationship. Results showed that the acetyled derivative with appropriate degree of substitution and lower molecular weight exhibited stronger antioxidant abilities on scavenging DPPH radical, and inhibitory effects in β-carotene-linoleic acid systems compared with the native polysaccharide. In addition, it also enhanced the macrophage phagocytosis capacity and tumor necrosis factor-α secretion, whereas the carboxymethylated derivative was shown to be slightly less effective. These results indicated that the type of substitution group and their degree of substitution play a decisive role in the bioactivities of the derivatives., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) has been commonly suggested as a candidate for prevention and therapy of cancer. We investigated the antitumor effect and the underlying molecular mechanisms of PSG-1. The results showed that PSG-1 inhibited tumor growth and resulted in tumor cell apoptosis in vivo. Here, the data revealed that PSG-1 caused a markedly increase in cAMP and PKA activities, rather than cGMP and PKC. Moreover, the treatment of PSG-1 induced a dramatic increase in the protein level of PKA. In contrast, the expression of PKC and intracellular [Ca(2+)]i were inhibited. Our study also revealed that treatment with PSG-1 increased the spleen and thymus weights, lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage phagocytic activity in tumor-bearing mice. Taken together, we conclude that PSG-1 could inhibit the tumor growth, possibly in part by enhancing the induction of apoptosis through cAMP-PKA signaling pathway and down-regulation of Ca(2+)/PKC signal pathway, activating host immune function in S180-bearing mice., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Ganoderma is a precious health-care edible medicinal fungus in China. A novel Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) is the main bioactive component. We investigated the antitumor effect and molecular mechanisms of PSG-1. It exhibited no significant effect on cell proliferation directly. In contrast, administration of PSG-1 markedly suppressed tumor growth in CT26 tumor-bearing mice. It was observed that PSG-1 caused apoptosis in CT26 cells. Apoptosis was associated with loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, enhancement of mitochondrial cytochrome c release and intracellular ROS production, elevation of p53 and Bax expression, downregulation of Bcl-2, and the activation of caspase-9 and -3. Moreover, PSG-1 enhanced immune organ index and promoted lymphocyte proliferation as well as cytokine levels in serum. Taken together, our data indicate that PSG-1 has potential antitumor activity in vivo by inducing apoptosis via mitochondria-mediated apoptotic pathway and enhances host immune system function. Therefore, PSG-1 could be a safe and effective antitumor, bioactive agent or functional food.

In this study, we investigated the effect of a polysaccharide purified from the seeds of Plantago asiatica L. (PLP-2) on the phenotypic and functional maturation of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) and relevant mechanisms. The results showed that PLP-2 increased the expression of maturation markers major histocompatibility complex II, CD86, CD80, and CD40 on DCs. Consistent with the changes in the phenotypic markers, functional assay for DCs maturation showed that PLP-2 decreased DCs endocytosis and increased intracellular interleukin (IL)-12 levels and allostimulatory activity. Furthermore, using a syngeneic T cell activation model, we found that PLP-2 treated DCs presented ovalbumin antigen to T cells more efficiently as demonstrated by increased T cell proliferation. In addition, the effects of PLP-2 on DCs were significantly impaired by treating the cells with anti-TLR4 antibody prior to PLP-2 treatment, implying direct interaction between PLP-2 and TLR4 on cell surface. These results suggested that PLP-2 may induce DCs maturation through TLR4. Our results may have important implications for our understanding on the molecular mechanisms of immunopotentiating action of the polysaccharides from plants., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Ganoderma atrum has attracted great attention for its antitumor activity. However, the mechanism remains unclear. A G. atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) showed pronounced antitumor activity in this study. PSG-1 did not kill CT26 cells directly, but inhibited the proliferation of CT26 cells via the activation of peritoneal macrophages (MΦ). In vivo, PSG-1 significantly suppressed the tumor growth in CT26 tumor-bearing mice. The treatment caused a significant increase in the immune organ index and the phagocytosis of macrophages. The production of TNF-α, IL-1β and nitric oxide also increased. Furthermore, we found that PSG-1 acted on Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4, signaled through p38 MAPK pathway, then activated NF-κB and stimulated TNF-α production. We further found that PSG-1 increased the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB, the degradation of IκBα and the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK. In summary, we have demonstrated that PSG-1 could activate macrophages via TLR4-dependent signaling pathways, improve immunity and inhibit tumor growth., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The aim of this study was to investigate the enhancement of Ganoderma atrum polysaccharide (PSG-1) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced antitumor effect in sarcoma 180 (S-180)-bearing mice. Results showed that both CTX and PSG-1 delayed tumor growth and resulted in tumor apoptosis. The combined regimen was superior to either modality alone. Moreover, the combined treatment-induced apoptosis was mediated via mitochondrial pathway, as evidenced by alterations of Bcl-2 family proteins, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ(m)), cytochrome c release, and caspases activation. Our results also showed that thymus and spleen indexes, lymphocytes proliferation, and concentrations of cytokine in the CTX group were decreased, which were alleviated by PSG-1. Additionally, the combined treatment ameliorated oxidative stress as compared with CTX alone. Taken together, we conclude that PSG-1 improved the antitumor effect of CTX, possibly in part mediated by enhancing the induction of apoptosis via mitochondrial pathways, activating host immune function, and modifying the redox system in S-180-bearing mice.

The monosaccharide composition of a tea polysaccharide (TGC) was determined by GC-MS method. Furthermore, the primary structure of tea polysaccharide and its configuration in the aqueous solution were investigated utilizing a combination of classical chemical methods and modern instrumental techniques including GC-MS, Proton NMR, UV and CD. The results indicate that TGC consists of 6 monosaccharides: Rha, Ara, Xyl, Glu, Man and Gal. The configuration of TGC in water solution is proposed to be an ordered helix. The possible primary structure of TGC was outlined as below: the basic structure of the main chain consists of Rha, Glu and Gal units. All three monosaccharides can potentially be connected to branch chains consisting of mainly Ara, and the linkages could be in beta1 --> 2, beta1 --> 3, beta2 --> 3 forms. When branch chain is absent in the basic structure of the main chain the linkage consists of only beta1 --> 3; Xyl exists at the terminal end of either the main chain or the branch chain with beta1 --> linkage.

Polysaccharides from Semen Astragali complanati (SACP) were obtained by hot water extraction followed by ethanol precipitation and separated by fractional precipitation with 20% and 25% ethanol into two fractions: SACP-20 and SACP-25, which was the major one with higher purity. Their physicochemical properties were determined by colorimetric methods, and their molecular mass distribution, conformation in solution and monosaccharide composition were analyzed by size exclusion chromatography coupled with muti-angle laser light scattering (SEC-MALLS) and high-performance anion exchange chromatography coupled with pulsed amperometric detection (HPLC-PAD). Results indicated that SACP-25 was a homogenous polysaccharide with total sugar content of 87.40% and was composed of galactose (42.92%) and mannose (57.08%). Meanwhile, it showed a random coil conformation in 0.1 mol/L NaNO3. Analysis by methylation combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy revealed that the main chain of SACP-25 was composed of β-1,4-linked-mannopyranose (Manp) with galactopyranose (Galp) side chains attached to C-6 of the Manp residues. This study indicated that Semen A. complanati is good natural source of galactomannans as a water-soluble dietary fiber. The results of this study may provide theoretical support for the ordered structure of polysaccharides and also provide a theoretical foundation for the development and application of SACP in the functional food and pharmaceutical industries.

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility of the mixture of tremella polysaccharide (TP) and citrus pectin (CP) as an emulsifier by evaluating its emulsifying ability/stability. The results showed that the TP:CP ratio of 5:5 (w/w) could effectively act as an emulsifier. CP, owing its lower molecular weight and highly methyl esterification, facilitated the emulsification of oil droplets, thereby promoting the dispersion of droplets. Meanwhile, the presence of TP enhanced the viscosity of emulsion system and increased the electrostatic interactions and steric hindrance, therefore hindering the migration of emulsion droplets, reducing emulsion droplets coalesce, and enhancing emulsion stability. The emulsification and stabilization performances were influenced by the molecular weight, esterified carboxyl groups content, and electric charge of TP and CP, and the potential mechanism involved their impact on the buoyant force of droplet size, viscosity, and steric hindrance of emulsion system. The emulsions stabilized by TP-CP exhibited robust environmental tolerance, but demonstrated sensitivity to Ca2+. Conclusively, the study demonstrated the potential application of the mixture of TP and CP as a natural polysaccharide emulsifier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid hydrolysis serves as the primary method for determining the monosaccharide composition of polysaccharides. However, inappropriate acid hydrolysis conditions may catalyze the breakdown of monosaccharides such as fructans (Fru), generating non-sugar by-products that affect the accuracy of monosaccharide composition analysis. In this study, we determined the monosaccharide recovery rate and non-sugar by-product formation of inulin-type fructan (ITF) and Fru under varied acid hydrolysis conditions using HPAEC-PAD and UPLC-Triple-TOF/MS, respectively. The results revealed significant variations in the recovery rate of Fru within ITF under different hydrolysis conditions, while glucose remained relatively stable. Optimal hydrolysis conditions for achieving a relatively high monosaccharide recovery rate for ITF entailed 80 °C, 2 h, and 1 M sulfuric acid. Furthermore, we validated the stability of Fru during acid hydrolysis. The results indicated that Fru experienced significant degradation with an increasing temperature and acid concentration, with a pronounced decrease observed when the temperature exceeds 100 °C or the H2SO4 concentration surpasses 2 M. Finally, three common by-products associated with Fru degradation, namely 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde, 5-methyl-2-furaldehyde, and furfural, were identified in both Fru and ITF hydrolysis processes. These findings revealed that the degradation of Fru under acidic conditions was a vital factor leading to inaccuracies in determining the Fru content during ITF monosaccharide analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gut microbiota plays a key role in insulin resistance (IR). Here we perform a case-control study of Chinese adults (ChiCTR2200065715) and identify that Parabacteroides distasonis is inversely correlated with IR. Treatment with P. distasonis improves IR, strengthens intestinal integrity, and reduces systemic inflammation in mice. We further demonstrate that P. distasonis-derived nicotinic acid (NA) is a vital bioactive molecule that fortifies intestinal barrier function via activating intestinal G-protein-coupled receptor 109a (GPR109a), leading to ameliorating IR. We also conduct a bioactive dietary fiber screening to induce P. distasonis growth. Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide (DOP) shows favorable growth-promoting effects on P. distasonis and protects against IR in mice simultaneously. Finally, the reduced P. distasonis and NA levels were also validated in another human type 2 diabetes mellitus cohort. These findings reveal the unique mechanisms of P. distasonis on IR and provide viable strategies for the treatment and prevention of IR by bioactive dietary fiber. Here, the authors show that the gut commensal Parabacteroides distasonis alleviates insulin resistance via nicotinic acid-intestinal GPR109a axis activation, a process promoted by Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dendrobium officinale is a perennial epiphytic herb of Dendrobium genus of Orchidaceae, which enjoys the reputation of life-saving herb' in China's folklore. It contains polysaccharides, alkaloids, flavonoids and other bioactive ingredients, which together make it good at improving immunity, balancing inflammation, regulating glucose and lipid metabolism, and promoting the health of gastrointestinal tract, ect. On November 9 2023, Dendrobium was officially added as 'food and medicine of the same origin' substance, which expanded its application prospects in the field of healthy food by the National Health and Health Commission of the People's Republic of China and State Administration for Market Regulation. This paper summarized the research history of Dendrobium officinale from 'cultivation and planting' to 'its functional components' and 'its processing characteristics', and also summarized the research progress of its main functional substance, Dendrobium officinale polysaccharide, in all aspects. At the same time, this paper also elaborated the current situation of Dendrobium herb deep-processing, and analyzed the key problem and future direction of Dendro¬bium officinale industrialization, in order to provide reference for the innovative application of Dendrobium officinale in the health industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colitis is generally affected by multiple factors, including the dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota, and may affect organs outside colon through circulation. Pectin, which is an edible polysaccharide widely present in plant cell walls, has been proved in our previous study to possess preventive potentials against acute ulcerative colitis, especially when the esterification degree is less than 50%. This study aimed to clarify the underlying correlations of gut microbiome and serum metabolites with the preventive effects of pectin with different esterification degrees (H121, L13, and L102) against colitis in mice. MiSeq sequencing data showed that symbiotic bacteria especially beneficial Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were enriched by pectin intake. Fiber consumers such as Prevotella and Bacteroides actively responded to L13 pectin, particularly under high dosage (L13-H). In addition, the abnormal abundance of Akkermansia associated with colitis would not appear in mice who had been provided with any of the three pectins before dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment. Furthermore, pre-treatment of H121 and L13 pectins could improve the serum glycerophospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). In contrast, lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) contributing to the glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway was enriched only in the L13-H group, which has been previously proved to be associated with the epithelial barrier and intestinal homeostasis. Positive relationships between the glycerophospholipids and the dominant candidates of intestinal bacteria such as Lactobacillus indicated the joint actions of intestinal microbes and serum metabolites as well as the underlying crosstalks among gut microbiome. Therefore, the results of this research suggested that the preventive effects of low-esterified pectin on DSS-induced colitis were likely to be initiated by the enrichment of probiotics in the gut and serum glycerophospholipids. Key points: • L13 pectin remarkably improved the diversity of the gut microbiome in healthy mice. • Probiotics were enriched and abnormal Akkermansia was restored by L13 and L102 pectins. • Glycerophospholipid metabolism was significantly enriched by H121 and L13 pectins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has increased in recent years. Considering the potential side effects of conventional drugs, safe and efficient treatment methods for IBD are required urgently. Natural polysaccharides (NPs) have attracted considerable attention as potential therapeutic agents for IBD owing to their high efficiency, low toxicity, and wide range of biological activities. Intestinal microbiota and their fermentative products, mainly short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), are thought to mediate the effect of NPs in IBDs. This review explores the beneficial effects of NPs on IBD, with a special focus on the role of intestinal microbes. Intestinal microbiota exert alleviation effects via various mechanisms, such as increasing the intestinal immunity, anti-inflammatory activities, and intestinal barrier protection via microbiota-dependent and microbiota-independent strategies. The aim of this paper was to document evidence of NP–intestinal microbiota-associated IBD prevention, which would be helpful for guidance in the treatment and management of IBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polysaccharides are one of the major group of bioactive macromolecular derived from plants, bacteria, fungi and seaweeds. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) , a type of scanning probe microscopy, is a powerful technology to visualize biopolymers, such as polysaccharides and proteins, up to a single molecular level in "near-native" conditions. This review gives a brief description of AFM technology involved in polysaccharide research in addition to discussion of factors that might influence polysaccharide imaging. More importantly, its contribution to research progress of a variety of well characterized polysaccharides, including pectin, xanthan, carrageenan, curdlan, scleroglucan, xyloglucan, arabinoxylan, starch, etc., and the detailed nanostructure information was summarized. AFM provides a unique insight into polysaccharide studies in terms of morphological features and molecular characteristics, such as heights (diameters), width, contour length, end-to-end distance, polydispersity, etc. Besides, other promising aspects included probing molecular motion and assemblies, as well as visualizing conformation behavior under different conditions. • Atomic force microscopy technology are employed for various polysaccharides research. • Atomic force microscopy is able to probe polysaccharide at nanometer level. • Deposition methods and polysaccharide preparation are two major aspects that affect polysaccharide imaging. • Morphology and nanostructures of polysaccharides are overviewed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bioactive polysaccharide from Ganoderma atrum (PSG-1-F 0.2 ) was previously characterized as a hyper-branched acidic β-(1 → 3)-glucan with long β-(1 → 6)-glucose side chains. The conformational properties of PSG-1-F 0.2 were systematically investigated by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), light scattering, atomic force microscope (AFM) and molecular modeling techniques. Large aggregates were found when PSG-1-F 0.2 dissolved in pure water, while 0.9% NaCl solution exhibited the ability to reduce/eliminate the aggregates. The weight average molecular weight (Mw), radius of gyration (Rg), hydrodynamic radius (R h ) and intrinsic viscosity [ η ] were determined as 12.73 kDa, 17.1 nm, 8.1 nm and 0.09 dL/g, respectively. The conformation analysis and AFM results together indicated that PSG-1-F 0.2 exhibited as hyper-branched compact spherical conformation in 0.9% NaCl solution. The results of molecular modeling identified that long β-(1 → 6)-glucose side chain played an important role in the aggregation and spherical conformation of PSG-1-F 0.2 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plantago species are used as traditional medicine in Asian and Europe. Polysaccharide isolated from the seeds of Plantago asiatica L. could stimulate maturation transformation of bone-marrow derived dendritic cells (DCs). We found that blocking p38, ERK1/2 and JNK MAPK signal transduction could significantly decreased the PLP-2 induced expression of MHC II, CD86 surface molecules on DCs. Blocking p38 and JNK signal also significantly inhibited the cytokine secretion of TNF-α and IL-12p70 as well, while blocking ERK1/2 signal only decreased the secretion of TNF-α. Meanwhile, DCs in the three MAPK signal-blocking groups showed dramatically attenuated effects on stimulating proliferation of T lymphocytes. Similarly, blocking signal transduction of NF-κB pathway also significantly impaired the phenotypic and functional maturation development of DCs induced by PLP-2. These data suggest that MAPK and NF-κB pathway mediates the PLP-induced maturation on DCs. Especially, among the three MAPK pathways, activation of JNK signal transduction is the most important for DCs development after PLP-2 incubation. And PLP-2 may activate the MAPK and NF-κB pathway by triggering toll-like receptor 4 on DCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel pectic polysaccharide was extracted from Fructus aurantii using ammonium oxalate extraction, whose primary structure and emulsification properties were investigated for the first time. Fructus aurantii ammonium oxalate-extracted pectin (FAOP) was a highly methyl-esterified pectin with a 60.36% methyl-esterification degree and a relative weight-average molecular weight (M w) of 1.30 × 106 Da. The backbone of FAOP was composed of a 2:3 molar ratio of →4)-α-Gal p A-(1→ and →4)-α-Gal p A-6- O -methyl-(1→ linkage, which contained an ∼57.04% linear homogalacturonan (HG) structural domain. In addition, neutral sugar side chains, such as arabinan and galactan belonging to the rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) region, were identified. Subsequently, the effects of Ca2+ on the properties of oil-in-water emulsions were investigated by droplet size, zeta potential, rheological properties and emulsion stability. Results indicated that FAOP formed a solid-like gel emulsion and exhibited excellent emulsion stability when the Ca2+ concentration was 5 mM. At this concentration, the droplet size was the smallest, the backscatter signal (BS) was almost unchanged; the Turbiscan stability index (TSI) value was the lowest, and tanδ (G" / G′) was less than 1. These findings indicated that the improved emulsion stability of FAOP by the introduction of Ca2+ was related to the emulsion gel network structure. These results indicated the potential application of Fructus aurantii pectin as a food stabiliser and thickener. • A novel HG type pectin (FAOP, M w of 1.30 × 106 Da) was characterized. • Calcium ion strength of the aqueous phase changed FAOP emulsion stability. • FAOP formed an emulsion gel that was induced by calcium ions. • The effect of Ca2+ on emulsifying properties of FAOP was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water-soluble polysaccharide, named NCSP-50, was obtained from natural Cordyceps sinensis by hot water extraction and ethanol fractionation precipitation. It was eluted as a single symmetrical peak and had an average molecular weight of 9.76 × 10 5 Da. The structure was determined by monosaccharide composition, methylation analysis, 1D/2D NMR spectroscopy, and enzymatic hydrolysis and characterization of the oligosaccharides by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The repeating unit of this polysaccharide was proposed as follows: Image 2 This glucan showed potent immunostimulatory activity on the basis of its significant abilities to promote macrophage proliferation, enhance NO production, as well as and cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α) secretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study was aimed to investigate the digestion and fermentation behaviors of the bioactive polysaccharide from Ganoderma atrum (PSG) in vitro and in vivo. The molecular weight (Mw) of PSG steadily decreased from 198.0 ± 0.3 to 147.1 ± 0.3 kDa and no free monosaccharides generated throughout simulated gastric and intestinal (GSI) digestion in vitro . The fermentation of PSG by human fecal microbiota was determined by change of pH and production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). The pH in fecal inoculums declined, and the concentrations of total SCFAs, acetic, propionic and butyric acids all significantly improved during fermentation in vitro . In addition, mice were taken PSG orally at doses of 50, 100, 200 mg/kg body weight for 30 days, respectively. After PSG administration, the concentrations of SCFAs increased. Meanwhile, fecal pH continually declined as oral time increased. Combining these findings both in vitro and in vivo , our results showed that the Mw of PSG decreased and no free monosaccharide was produced in GSI digestion and PSG promoted the production of SCFAs and the decline of pH in the large intestinal fermentation, which may provide information that PSG was not entirely digested in GSI digestion and was mainly degraded in the large intestine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolomics, as a new platform of systems biology, enables us to obtain valuable information for understanding the pathogenesis and treatment of diabetes mellitus. A metabolomics method based on ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF/MS) was developed to investigate the effect of polysaccharide from Ganoderma atrum (PSG-1) on serum metabolites from high fat diet- and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rats. Eight potential biomarkers (methionine, dTMP, d -tryptophan, 5-hydroxy-indoleacetaldehyde, glycocholic acid, biliverdin IX, malate and taurocholic acid) were identified by t test unpaired statistical analysis, and the pathway analysis features were analyzed using Mass Profiler Professional software. Meanwhile, biological pathways and processes including metabolism of carbohydrates, fatty acid biosynthesis, glycolysis and gluconeogenesis, metabolism of lipids and lipoproteins were affected by PSG-1 treatment. These results suggest that metabolomics strategy is potentially very useful for studying the mechanisms of action of natural polysaccharides on type 2 diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]