Sparassis crispa Intake Improves the Reduced Lipopolysaccharide-Induced TNF-α Production That Occurs upon Exhaustive Exercise in Mice.

Masataka Uchida,Motoyuki Iemitsu,Natsuki Hasegawa,Hiromi Yano,Eri Oyanagi,Naoki Horii

doi:10.3390/nu11092049

Abstract

Our previous study showed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production is inhibited by acute exhaustive exercise in mice, leading to transient immunodepression after exercise. Sparassis crispa (SC), an edible mushroom, has immunopotentiative properties. This study aimed to clarify the effects of SC intake on reduced LPS-induced TNF-α production upon exhaustive exercise in mice. Male C3H/HeN mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal chow intake + resting sedentary, normal chow intake + acute exhaustive treadmill running exercise, and SC intake (chow containing 5% SC powder for 8 weeks) + the exhaustive exercise groups. Each group was injected with LPS immediately after the exhaustive exercise or rest. Plasma and tissue TNF-α levels were significantly decreased by exhaustive exercise. However, this reduction of the TNF-α level was partially attenuated in the plasma and small intestine by SC intake. Although levels of TLR4 and MyD88 protein expression were significantly decreased in tissues by exhaustive exercise, the reduction of TLR4 and MyD88 levels in the small intestine was partially attenuated by SC intake. These results suggest that SC intake attenuates exhaustive exercise-induced reduction of TNF-α production via the retention of TLR4 and MyD88 expression in the small intestine.

Highlights

Strenuous exercise transiently reduces immune function, resulting in an increased risk of infection, such as upper respiratory tract infections, in athletes [1,2]
Since exhaustive exercise inhibits systemic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production that normally occurs in a bacterial infection model, immunodepression after strenuous exercise is involved in increased susceptibility to microorganism infection [1,2,3]
No significant differences in body weight or food intake were found among CD + Sed, CD + Ex and SD + Ex groups (Table 1)

Summary

Introduction

Strenuous exercise transiently reduces immune function, resulting in an increased risk of infection, such as upper respiratory tract infections, in athletes [1,2]. Since exhaustive exercise inhibits systemic tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) production that normally occurs in a bacterial infection model (injection of lipopolysaccharide [LPS]), immunodepression after strenuous exercise is involved in increased susceptibility to microorganism infection [1,2,3]. Pharmacological and pathogenic immunodepression is improved in mice by supplementation with β-glucan and vitamin D extracted from mushrooms [4,5]. Sparassis crispa is an edible mushroom that contains high amounts of β-glucan, more than 30% of the dry weight of the fruiting bodies, compared with levels in other mushrooms [6]. Several studies have revealed that consumption of S. crispa and Nutrients 2019, 11, 2049; doi:10.3390/nu11092049 www.mdpi.com/journal/nutrients

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion