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.

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Alginate-derived polymannuronate (PM) is a type of polysaccharide found in edible brown seaweeds. Seleno-polymannuronate (Se-PM) was prepared from PM via synthesis using sulfation- and selenation-replacement reactions. The anti-inflammatory activity of Se-PM and its corresponding molecular mechanisms were investigated. In lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells, Se-PM significantly attenuated the production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E (PGE), and reactive oxygen species (ROS); the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2); and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, Se-PM remarkably suppressed the LPS-induced activation of the nuclear-factor (NF)-κB and mitogen-activated-protein-kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in RAW264.7 cells. Furthermore, Se-PM also decreased the production of proinflammatory mediators in LPS-triggered primary murine macrophages. Additionally, Se-PM inhibited the inflammatory response in the air-pouch inflammation model. These results might contribute to the overall understanding of the potential health benefits of Se-PM for food and drug applications.

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