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Immunomodulatory effect of exo-polysaccharides from submerged cultured Cordyceps sinensis: enhancement of cytokine synthesis, CD11b expression, and phagocytosis

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Abstract

Cordyceps sinensis is widely used as a traditional medicine for treatment of a wide variety of diseases or to maintain health. The immunomodulatory activity of polysaccharides prepared from submerged cultured C. sinensis BCRC36421 was investigated in human peripheral blood. Results demonstrated that Fr. A (exo-polysaccharides, 0.025 ∼ 0.1 mg/ml) induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 dose-dependently. Fr. A, as low as 0.025 mg/ml, could significantly augment surface expression of CD11b in monocytes and polymorphonuclear neutrophils. Functional assay revealed that Fr. A (0.05 mg/ml) also elevated phagocytosis in monocytes and PMN. On the other hand, Fr. B (intracellular polysaccharides) only moderately induced TNF-α release, CD11b expression, and phagocytosis at the same concentrations. Our results indicate that the immunomodulatory components of submerged cultured C. sinensis mainly reside in the culture filtrate.

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Acknowledgment

We thank Ms. Yu-Tzu Lin, Hsiao-Ting Lu, and Yu-Jen Hwang for their assistance in experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Tainan, 717, Taiwan

    Mei-Chun Kuo & Ming-Jiuan Wu

  2. Taiwan Sugar Research Institute, Tainan, 701, Taiwan

    Chien-Yu Chang & Tso-Lin Cheng

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  1. Mei-Chun Kuo
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  2. Chien-Yu Chang
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  3. Tso-Lin Cheng
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  4. Ming-Jiuan Wu
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Correspondence to Ming-Jiuan Wu.

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Kuo, MC., Chang, CY., Cheng, TL. et al. Immunomodulatory effect of exo-polysaccharides from submerged cultured Cordyceps sinensis: enhancement of cytokine synthesis, CD11b expression, and phagocytosis. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 75, 769–775 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-0880-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00253-007-0880-5

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