Effects of Korean Chaga mushroom extract on stimulation of immune response in mouse splenocytes

Abstract

The Chaga mushroom (Inonotus obliquus) contains many compounds that were reported to promote immune system and antioxidative status of test animals. The present study was conducted to determine the antioxidant activity and effects of Chaga mushroom on proliferation, cell population and cytokine expression of splenocytes. Mouse splenocytes were treated with 1, 5, 10, 20 and 40 ppm of Chaga mushroom extract, and IL‐1 β, IL‐2 and TNFα cytokine expressions were determined after 24 and 48 h incubation. Cytokine expressions were measured by ELISA. Cell proliferation was measured by tetrazolium salt (WST) assay after 24 and 48 h incubation periods. The T cell and B cell populations of splenocytes were measured by Flow Cytometry Analysis (FACS). The free radical scavenging activity was measured using 2,2‐Diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The IL‐2 expression was stimulated by Chaga mushroom after 24 hours and 48 hours incubation periods. Splenocyte proliferation was stimulated in dose dependent manner by Chaga mushroom. The 24 and 48h data showed that T cells population was more stimulated than B cells. The DPPH assay showed that antioxidative activity of Chaga mushroom increased dose dependently with concentration. Results of this study suggested that Chaga mushroom promote immune response through improvement of antioxidation status and stimulation of IL‐2 and immune cell proliferation in animal.