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 concentrationdependent 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.
Background
Euglena is a new super health food resource that is rich in the natural polysaccharide paramylon, a linear β-1,3-glucan with various biological activities including activity on the immune system in different cell lines and animals. Despite these reports, the immune regulation mechanism of paramylon is still unclear.
Results
We investigate the signaling pathways paramylon impacts in immune macrophages. In RAW264.7 macrophages, sonicated and alkalized paramylon oligomers up-regulated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and increased secretion of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, paramylon activated the nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways and inhibiting these pathways attenuated the paramylon-induced secretion of the above immune-mediators.
Conclusions
These results demonstrate that Euglena gracilis paramylon modulates the immune system via activation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways and thus has potential therapeutic benefits.
Background: Euglena is a new super health food resource that is rich in the natural polysaccharide paramylon, a linear β-1,3-glucan with various biological activities including activity on the immune system in different cell lines and animals. Despite these reports, the immune regulation mechanism of paramylon is still unclear.
Results: We investigate the signaling pathways paramylon impacts in immune macrophages. In RAW264.7 macrophages, sonicated and alkalized paramylon oligomers up-regulated inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and increased secretion of nitric oxide (NO) , interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α, in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, paramylon activated the nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways and inhibiting these pathways attenuated the paramylon-induced secretion of the above immune-mediators.
Conclusions: These results demonstrate that Euglena gracilis paramylon modulates the immune system via activation of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways and thus has potential therapeutic benefits.
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