AUTHOR=Qu Dongshuai , Lian Shuaitao , Hu Hongjie , Sun Wenjing , Si Hongbin 

TITLE=Characterization and macrophages immunomodulatory activity of two water-soluble polysaccharides from Abrus cantoniensis

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.969512

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.969512

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<p>The study aims to elucidate the physicochemical properties and immunomodulatory activity of two polysaccharides (ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>0</sub> and ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>2</sub>) from <italic>Abrus cantoniensis</italic>. Results revealed that ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>0</sub> with a molecular weight of 26.0 kDa, was mainly composed of glucose (83.1%) and galactose (6.1%), and that ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>2</sub> with a molecular weight of 145.6/8.9 kDa, consisted of galactose (25.6%), galacturonic acid (22.2%), arabinos (16.6%) and galactose (11.0%) respectively. AFM and Congo red experiments suggested that ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>0</sub> and ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>2</sub> might be spherical particles with triple-helix conformation in aqueous solution. ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>0</sub> and ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>2</sub> exhibited immunomodulatory activity by promoting the proliferation, augmenting pinocytic and phagocytic capacities, releasing immunoactive molecules such as ROS, NO, iNOS, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β, upregulation of the mRNA levels of corresponding cytokines in macrophages. Moreover, ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>0</sub> and ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>2</sub> were recognized by toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and exerted immunomodulatory effects via activating Myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and serine/threonine kinase (Akt) signaling pathways in macrophages. Notably, ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>2</sub> had higher immunomodulatory activity than ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>0</sub>. Based on the present findings, ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>0</sub> and ACP<sub><italic>t</italic>2</sub> could be explored as an active component of immunomodulators in the food and pharmaceutical fields.</p>