Structural identification and immunostimulating activity of a Laminaria japonica polysaccharide

• Published in: International journal of biological macromolecules Vol. 78; pp. 429 - 438
• Main Authors: Zha, Xue-Qiang, Lu, Chao-Qun, Cui, Shao-Hua, Pan, Li-Hua, Zhang, Hai-Lin, Wang, Jun-Hui, Luo, Jian-Ping
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.07.2015
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Survival; Cytokines - genetics; Cytokines - metabolism; Glycosides - chemistry; Immunologic Factors - chemistry; Immunologic Factors - immunology; Immunologic Factors - isolation & purification; Immunologic Factors - pharmacology; Immunostimulation; Laminaria - chemistry; Laminaria japonica; Macrophage Activation; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - immunology; Macrophages - metabolism; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Mice; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Molecular Weight; Monosaccharides - chemistry; NF-kappa B - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - genetics; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; Polysaccharide; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Polysaccharides - immunology; Polysaccharides - isolation & purification; Polysaccharides - pharmacology; RNA, Messenger - genetics; Signal Transduction; Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; Structure-Activity Relationship; Polysaccharide; Laminaria japonica; Immunostimulation
• ISSN: 0141-8130; 1879-0003
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2015.04.047

In the present study, a new water-soluble polysaccharide (LJP-11) was obtained from Laminaria japonica by anion exchange DEAE-cellulose chromatography and Sephacryl S-500 chromatography. The average molecular weight of this polysaccharide was estimated to be about 2.89×106Da by high performance liquid chromatography system. Gas chromatography showed that LJP-11 was composed of arabinose, mannose and glucose in a molar ratio of 1.0:1.16:6.33. LJP-11 contains a long backbone consisting of (1→4)-β-d-GlcpAc, (1→4)-α-d-Glcp, (1→6)-β-d-Glcp and (1→3,6)-α-d-Manp. The 1-linked β-l-Araf was linked to the C-6 of (1→3)-α-d-Manp and the sulfate group was attached to the C-4 of (1→6)-β-d-Glcp. Pharmacological tests displayed that LJP-11 can stimulate macrophages to release NO, IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 as well as the up-regulation of their gene expressions, indicating LJP-11 has beneficial effects on immunostimulation. Moreover, LJP-11 exhibited positive effects on the translocation of NF-κB p65 from cytoplasm to nucleus and the phosphorylation of IκBα, ERK1/2, JNK1/2 and P38 in macrophages. These results suggested that the activation of MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways is one of the mechanisms responsible for the immunostimulating activity of LJP-11.