Alkali-soluble Polysaccharides Research Articles

Insight into the mechanisms of acid treatment on alkali-soluble polysaccharides from crispy and mealy lotus rhizomes

The present study investigated the structural disparities in cell wall polysaccharides between lotus rhizomes with mealy and crispy textures through a combination of acid and enzyme treatments. The results from size exclusion chromatography equipped with multi-angle light scattering detectors, viscometer detector and differential refractive index (SEC-MALS-DRI-VD) indicated that, before and after acid treatment, the CASP (alkali-soluble polysaccharides from crisp lotus rhizomes) were all semi-flexible chains using, while MASP (alkali-soluble polysaccharides from mealy lotus rhizomes) changed from flexible chains to semi-flexible. The atomic force microscope (AFM) images revealed a reduction in pectin chain length and decreased chain height of CASP following acid hydrolysis. However, MASP exhibited adhesion of pectin chains and formation of cluster structure. Through the analysis of monosaccharide composition result, the structural disparities between pectin are closely linked to the acid hydrolysis discrepancies observed in CASP and MASP. This study offers a molecular-level rationale for enhancing the thermal texture of fruits and vegetables through acid treatment.

A determination of the composition and structure of the polysaccharides fractions isolated from apple cell wall based on FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra supported by PCA analysis

Generally in plants, cell wall polysaccharides are the main determinants of tissue properties and contents of an essential part of dietary fiber, prebiotics, or cosmetic ingredients. Therefore, evaluation of the content and structure of polysaccharides is crucial to understanding and controlling their functionality. Vibrational spectroscopy has already proven to be very useful in studying wall-based compounds. Here, it was proposed to use the FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra combined with PCA analysis to discriminate and distinguish pectic and hemicellulosic fractions isolated from apple parenchyma as an example. Reference measurements have been done on commercially available polysaccharides in order to identify relevant fingerprint bands. The similarities of different polysaccharide fractions from apple: water, imidazole, dilute alkali-soluble polysaccharides (WSP, ISP, DASP, respectively), and polysaccharides soluble in three potassium hydroxide concentration (KOHs) to the reference polysaccharides were found. In the case of both types of spectroscopy, the region below 1800 cm−1 was used to differentiate the samples. The results showed that the WSP, ISP, and DASP fractions have band patterns similar to the pectic polysaccharides, but also contain bands characteristic of polysaccharides containing arabinan and galactan. While the KOH fractions showed the greatest similarities to the hemicellulose polysaccharides, especially the glucomannan and xyloglucan. The results showed that FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra supported by PCA can be useful for studying the structure of polysaccharide fractions directly isolated from plant cell wall material.

Antioxidant Activities and Prebiotic Activities of Water-Soluble, Alkali-Soluble Polysaccharides Extracted from the Fruiting Bodies of the Fungus Hericium erinaceus.

In this study, the digestion and fermentation properties of the bioactive water-soluble polysaccharide (HEP-W), and alkali-soluble polysaccharide (HEP-A) from Hericium erinaceus and the impact on the human colonic microbiota were determined using simulated saliva-gastrointestinal digestion and human fecal fermentation models in vitro. The basic physicochemical properties of HEP-W and HEP-A were determined at the same time. The results showed that the in vitro simulated digestion had almost no effect on the physicochemical properties of HEP-W and HEP-A, indicating that HEP-W and HEP-A were partially degraded. During fermentation, HEP-W and HEP-A increased the relative abundance of the dominant butyric acid-producing genera, the microbial community structure was significantly regulated, the gas production and short-chain fatty acid production in the fermentation broth were significantly increased, and the pH of the fermentation broth was reduced. There were structural and other differences in HEP-W and HEP-A due to different extraction methods, which resulted in different results. These results suggest that HEP-W and HEP-A may be potential gut microbial manipulators to promote gut health by promoting the production of beneficial metabolites by intestinal microorganisms using different butyric acid production pathways.

Preparation of alkali-soluble polysaccharide from Clausena lansium (Lour.) Skeels and its effects on properties of chitosan-based edible film

In this study, alkali-soluble polysaccharide from wampee (ASP-W) was prepared and its effect on chitosan-based composite film was investigated. Preliminary characterization of ASP-W showed it was a kind of typical homogeneous polysaccharide, with a molecular weight of 1.5 × 103 KDa. Infrared spectroscopy proved the successful combination of ASP-W with chitosan. Meanwhile, composite film exhibited increased thickness, water solubility percentage, and swelling ratio and decreased moisture content. In terms of optical transmittance, composite films showed excellent UV barrier capability below 400 nm. Mechanical tests demonstrated tensile strength up to 24.84 MPa at ASP-W 1.5% and elongation at break up to 27.93% at ASP-W 4.5%. Composite films also possessed better barrier properties. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results also indicated better thermostability of composite films. DPPH radical scavenging reached 46.84% at ASP-W 1.5% and hydroxyl radical scavenging peaked at 97.16% at ASP-W 3%. In summary, ASP-W can improve optical, mechanical, barrier, and thermal stability and antioxidant properties of chitosan film, which provided a certain reference for the development and utilization of polysaccharide in edible packaging film.

Zerumbone Disturbs the Extracellular Matrix of Fluconazole-Resistant Candida albicans Biofilms.

This study assessed the effect of zerumbone (ZER) against fluconazole-resistant (CaR) and -susceptible Candida albicans (CaS) biofilms and verified the influence of ZER on extracellular matrix components. Initially, to determine the treatment conditions, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), the minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) and the survival curve were evaluated. Biofilms were formed for 48 h and exposed to ZER at concentrations of 128 and 256 µg/mL for 5, 10 and 20 min (n = 12). One group of biofilms did not receive the treatment in order to monitor the effects. The biofilms were evaluated to determine the microbial population (CFU/mL), and the extracellular matrix components (water-soluble polysaccharides (WSP), alkali-soluble polysaccharides (ASPs), proteins and extracellular DNA (eDNA), as well as the biomass (total and insoluble) were quantified. The MIC value of ZER for CaS was 256 μg/mL, and for CaR, it was 64 μg/mL. The survival curve and the MFC value coincided for CaS (256 μg/mL) and CaR (128 μg/mL). ZER reduced the cellular viability by 38.51% for CaS and by 36.99% for CaR. ZER at 256 µg/mL also reduced the total biomass (57%), insoluble biomass (45%), WSP (65%), proteins (18%) and eDNA (78%) of CaS biofilms. In addition, a reduction in insoluble biomass (13%), proteins (18%), WSP (65%), ASP (10%) and eDNA (23%) was also observed in the CaR biofilms. ZER was effective against fluconazole-resistant and -susceptible C. albicans biofilms and disturbed the extracellular matrix.

Acid-induced Poria cocos alkali-soluble polysaccharide hydrogel: Gelation behaviour, characteristics, and potential application in drug delivery

Poria cocos alkali-soluble polysaccharide (PCAP), a water-insoluble β-glucan, is the main component of the total dried sclerotia of Poria cocos. However, its gelation behaviour and properties have yet to be comprehensively studied. In this study, an acid-induced physical hydrogel based on natural PCAP is fabricated. The acid-induced gelation in PCAP is explored with respect to the pH and polysaccharide concentration. PCAP hydrogels are formed in the pH range of 0.3–10.5, and the lowest gelation concentration is 0.4 wt%. Furthermore, dynamic rheological, fluorescence, and cyclic voltammetry measurements are performed to elucidate the gelation mechanism. The results reveal that hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions play a dominant role in gel formation. Subsequently, the properties of the PCAP hydrogels are investigated using rheological measurements, scanning electron microscopy, gravimetric analysis, free radical scavenging, MTT assays, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The PCAP hydrogels exhibit a porous network structure and cytocompatibility, in addition to good viscoelastic, thixotropic, water-holding, swelling, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. Furthermore, using rhein as a model drug for encapsulation, it is demonstrated that its cumulative release behaviour from the PCAP hydrogel is pH dependent. These results indicate the potential of PCAP hydrogels for application in biological medicine and drug delivery.

Quality evaluation methods of Poria based on yield and content of alkali extracted polysaccharide

To improve the quality control methods of Poria and develop and utilize its resources fully, alkaline extraction was used in this study to determine the yield and content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides of Poria. The alkali-soluble extracts of Poria were obtained according to the optimum extraction conditions on the basis of single-factor test, and 30 batches of samples were determined. The structure and chemical composition of the alkali-soluble extracts was characterized by high-performance gel permeation chromatography(HPGPC), Fourier transform infrared spectrometry(FT-IR), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone(PMP-HPLC). The results showed that the content of the alkali-soluble extracts was in the range of 46.98%-73.86%. The main component was β-(1→3)-glucan, and its molecular mass was about 1.093×10~5. Further, the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides of Poria was measured by UV-Vis spectrophotometry and HPLC coupled with the evaporative light scattering detector(HPLC-ELSD), and 30 batches of samples were measured. The results indicated that the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry was in the range of 73.70%-92.57%, and the content of samples from Hubei province was slightly higher than that from Yunnan province, Anhui province and Hunan province. The content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides determined by HPLC-ELSD was in the range of 51.42%-76.69%, and the samples from Hunan province had slightly higher content than that from the other three provinces. The content determined by UV-Vis spectrophotometry was higher than that by HPLC-ELSD. However, the content determined by HPLC-ELSD was close to that of alkali-soluble extract, which could accurately characterize the content of alkali-soluble polysaccharides in Poria, and the method was simple and repeatable. Therefore, it is recommended that the quantitative analysis method for alkali-soluble extract and alkali-soluble polysaccharides by HPLC-ELSD be used in the quality standards of Poria in Chinese Pharmacopeia.

Physicochemical, rheological properties and in vitro hypoglycemic activities of polysaccharide fractions from peach gum

In this study, peach gum was sequentially extracted by water at 25 °C, 95 °C and 0.1 M NaOH, obtaining room temperature water-soluble (PG-WE), hot water-soluble (PG-HWE), and alkali-soluble (PG-AE) polysaccharide fractions. These three kinds of polysaccharide fractions exhibited a similar arabinogalactan structure according to FTIR spectrum and monosaccharide composition. However, their molecular weight and chain conformation were different based on high-performance size exclusion chromatography analysis, which resulted in different rheological behavior. PG-WE and PG-HWE presented non-Newtonian behavior, and the apparent viscosity of PG-WE was higher than that of PG-HWE at concentrations of 2.0 % and 3.0 % (w/w). Dynamic sweep tests showed that PG-HWE solutions behaved as viscous fluids, while PG-WE solutions tended to form gel-like structures at concentrations higher than 2 % (w/w). Furthermore, PG-WE showed significant in vitro inhibition against α-glucosidase activity in a dose-dependent manner and reduced the fluorescence of α-glucosidase through dynamic quenching mechanism.

Candida biofilm matrix as a resistance mechanism against photodynamic therapy

BackgroundAntimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) efficiency on Candida albicans is recognized in free-floating cultures. Though, the lack of aPDT effectiveness against C. albicans organized in biofilms is still unclear. This study aimed to explore the role of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in the protection against aPDT in C. albicans biofilms. MethodsC. albicans SN 425 wild-type and two mutant strains CNJ 2302; Δ/Δefg1 and CJN 2330; Δ/Δtec1 (ECM deficient) were used. Biofilms were grown on 24-well plates and exposed twice-daily to aPDT with 44 μM toluidine blue-O (TBO) for 5 min followed by red light (635 nm) for 1 min (87.6 J/cm²) or 2 min (175.2 J/cm2). Application of just TBO, light, 0.12% chlorhexidine, and ultrapure water were used as controls. After 48 h, biofilms were assessed for dry-weight (DW), colony forming units (CFU), extracellular DNA (eDNA), soluble and insoluble protein (SP/IP), water-insoluble (alkali-soluble) polysaccharide (ASP), water-soluble polysaccharides (WSP), and confocal scanning laser microscopy. ResultsThe strains with ECM deficient were affected by aPDT. For the mutant strain Δ/Δefg1, aPDT significantly reduced CFU, ASP, DW, eDNA, WSP and IP when compared to NC (p<0.001) and for the Δ/Δtec1, aPDT significantly reduced CFU, eDNA, IP and SP. Whereas CFU, DW, ASP of the wild-type strain biofilms were not reduced (p>0.05). ConclusionsC. albicans strains with reduced ECM compounds were more sensitive to aPDT suggesting that the ECM may have a significant protection role from aPDT in C. albicans biofilms.

Antioxidative and hepatoprotective activities of a novel polysaccharide (LSAP) from Lepista sordida mycelia

A novel alkali-soluble polysaccharide from Lepista sordida (LSAP) mycelia with antioxidative and hepatoprotective activities was characterized. The weight-average molecular weight and number-average molecular weight of LSAP were 1.442×103 and 6.05×102kDa, respectively. LSAP was consisted of glucose (57.9%), xylose (31.8%), and small amounts of rhamnose, arabinose, galactose, glucuronic acid, and galacturonic acid (1.2%–3.1%). The FT-IR and 2D NMR confirmed that LSAP was composed of Xylp, Araf, 4-O-Me-α-D-GlcpA, (1→4)-linked β-D-Glcp, and (1→4)-α-D-GalA, and β-glycosidic linkages between these sugar units. LSAP displayed notable effects on 1,1-dephenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging, hydrogen peroxide scavenging, lipid peroxidation inhibitory ability, reducing power and Fe2+ chelating property. These biological effects were further verified by suppressing CCl4-induced oxidative liver damage in mice at doses of 100 and 200mg/kg. Administration of LSAP in mice prior to CCl4 significantly prevented the CCl4-induced elevation in serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and hepatic malondialdehyde. Mice treated with LSAP demonstrated to increase activities in superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver. We also found out that LSAP prevented CCl4-induced oxidative liver histological alteration. LSAP may exert hepatoprotective effects against CCl4-induced damage through antioxidant mechanisms in model mice.

Structural Characterization of an Alkali-Soluble Polysaccharide from Angelica sinensis and Its Antitumor Activity in Vivo.

A novel alkali-soluble polysaccharide (AASP) was isolated from Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels under aqueous alkali treatment, and its structural characterization and antitumor activity in Vivo were evaluated in present study. Results of HPGPC and IC revealed that AASP was a neutral polysaccharide containing Ara, Gal and Glc in the mole ratio of 1.00 : 2.26 : 24.43, with the average molecular weight of 4.7 kDa. Periodate oxidation, Smith degradation, methylation, FT-IR, and NMR analyses further demonstrated that a preliminary structure of AASP was proposed as follows: (1→3)-linked arabinose, (1→6)-linked galactose, and (1→), (1→4), (1→6), (1→3,6)-linked glucose with α- and β-configuration. In Vivo antitumor assays, AASP exhibited prominent antitumor effects on H22 hepatoma cells with an inhibitory ratio of 48.57 % and effectively protected thymuses and spleens of tumor-bearing mice. Besides, AASP displayed a proliferation stimulating activity of immunocytes (splenocytes, peritoneal macrophages and natural killer cells), and an auxo-action for cytokines release (TNF-α, IL-2 and IFN-γ), leading to the apoptosis of H22 solid tumors cells via G0/G1 phase arrested. The above data demonstrated that AASP holds great application potential to be a safe and effective antitumor supplement in the future.

Conformational, antioxidant and antibacterial properties of polysaccharides extracted from edible mushrooms of Pleurotus species

Polysaccharide fractions were extracted from three species of edible mushroom belonging to genus Pleurotus: P. florida, P. ostreatus and P. sajor-caju. The cold water, hot water and alkali soluble polysaccharides were precipitated using ethanol. Fractions thus obtained were characterized for presence of specific functional group by vibrational spectroscopy. Spectra of all fractions showed occurrence of several intense overlapped IR bands in the region of 1200-900 cm−1 (mainly C-C and C-O stretching vibrations in pyranoid rings) indicating the presence of polysaccharides as the major component. The (1→3, 1→6) linked β-conformation of the glucans was marked by presence of characteristic IR peaks and spectral similarity with a standard (1→3, 1→6) β-D-glucan in all the fractions. The antioxidant activity of the β-glucan extracts was observed to be variable among the three species. The P. ostreatus NaOH soluble glucans showed the maximum DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activity amongst all. The extracted β-glucans exhibited moderate antagonism towards human pathogenic bacteria Yersinia enterocolitica and Salmonella typhi.

Protective effects of Poria cocos and its components against cisplatin-induced intestinal injury

Ethnopharmacological relevancePoria cocos (Schw.) Wolf (Poria) is a well-known traditional medicinal fungus. It has been considered to possess spleen-invigorating (Jianpi) effects in traditional Chinese medicine, and is used clinically to treat spleen deficiency (Pixu) with symptoms of intestinal disorders such as diarrhea, indigestion, mucositis and weight loss. The aim of this studyTo investigate the protective effects of Poria and its three component fractions (Water-soluble polysaccharides, WP; alkali-soluble polysaccharides, AP; triterpene acids, TA) on cisplatin-induced intestinal injury and explore the underlying mechanisms. Materials and methodsC57BL/6 mice were treated with Poria powder (PP), WP, AP and TA by oral gavage respectively for 13 days, and intraperitoneally injected with 10 mg/kg of cisplatin on day 10 to conduct a cisplatin-induced intestinal injury model. Pathological changes of ileum and colon were examined using H&E staining. The composition of gut microbiota and the alteration of host metabolites were characterized by 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS based untargeted metabolomics analysis. ResultsPP and WP attenuated the cisplatin-induced ileum and colon injury, and WP alleviated the weight loss and reversed the elevation of IL-2, IL-6 in serum. Both PP and WP could mitigate cisplatin-induced dysbiosis of gut microbiota, in particular PP and WP decreased the abundance of pathogenic bacteria including Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, Ruminococcaceae and Helicobacteraceae, while WP promoted the abundance of probiotics, such as Erysipelotrichaceae and Prevotellaceae. Moreover, WP attenuated the cisplatin-induced alteration of metabolic profiles. The levels of potential biomarkers, including xanthine, L-tyrosine, uridine, hypoxanthine, butyrylcarnitine, lysoPC (18:0), linoleic acid, (R)-3-hydroxybutyric acid, D-ribose, thiamine monophosphate, indolelactic acid and plamitic acid, showed significant correlations with intestinal flora. ConclusionsPP and WP possess protective effects against cisplatin-induced intestinal injury via potentially regulating the gut microbiota and metabolic profiles.

Water-soluble and alkali-soluble polysaccharides from bitter melon inhibited lipid accumulation in HepG2 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans

Bitter melon polysaccharides (BPS) have been reported to have hypolipidemic effects. However, the precise mechanism of BPS regulating lipid metabolism remains elusive. Water-soluble (WBPS) and alkali-soluble bitter melon polysaccharides (ABPS) were extracted to evaluate the fat-lowering bioactivities in HepG2 cells and Caenorhabditis elegans. WBPS and ABPS were slightly different in the uronic acid contents (22.23% and 5.69%), monosaccharide composition, molecular weight (Mw: 332 kDa and 1552 kDa, respectively) and IR spectra. In palmitic acid-treated HepG2 cell, the ABPS exhibited better effects on accelerating glucose consumption and decreasing the triglyceride content than WBPS via stimulating glucose consumption (GLUT4) and gluconeogenesis (PEPCK). In the model of glucose-treated C. elegans, we observed that both WBPS and ABPS obviously suppressed the fat accumulation, more significantly by ABPS, along with no toxicity towards some physical activities. Fat-5, fat-6 and fat-7 mediated fatty acid desaturases pathways were further confirmed to be involved in the lipid-lowering effects of BPSs. Our studies demonstrated that both WBPS and ABPS can exhibit effects on fat- lowering in HepG2 cells and C. elegans.

Molecular structure features and lactic acid fermentation behaviors of water- and alkali-soluble polysaccharides from Dendrobium officinale.

One water-soluble polysaccharide (WDOP) and three alkali-soluble polysaccharides (ADOP1, ADOP2 and ADOP3) were successfully obtained from Dendrobium officinale. Molecular structure of the polysaccharides was analyzed, and in vitro lactic acid fermentation of the polysaccharides by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and bifidobacteria was performed. All the polysaccharides exerted proliferative effect on the LAB and bifidobacteria. ADOP2 was the most effective one, followed by WDOP. This could be attributed to their molecular structure features, such as a high level of total sugar, uronic acid and reducing sugar, an abundance of glucose and mannose, and a low and middle weight-average molecular weight. ADOP2 and WDOP produced more short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) than ADOP1 and ADOP3 did during lactic acid fermentation. Propionic and acetic acids were the main SCFAs produced. These findings are useful for understanding the structure-activity relationship of D. officinale polysaccharides in lactic acid fermentation, and for developing new functional foods and beverages from D. officinale.

Anti-inflammatory activity of alkali-soluble polysaccharides from Arctium lappa L. and its effect on gut microbiota of mice with inflammation

In this study, an alkali-soluble polysaccharide (ASALP) from Arctium lappa L. were extracted and purified. Our results indicated that ASALP was a homogeneous polysaccharide with a molecular weight of 1.2 × 105 Da composed of rhamnose, arabinose, xylose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 1.2: 4.4: 0.9: 0.9: 2.6. The structure characterization indicated that ASALP was mainly consisted of →5-α-L-Araf-(1 → backbone and α-Araf-(1→,→2)-α-Rhap-(1 → T-Glcp-(1→, →3)-β-D-Xylp-(1 → 4)-α-GalpA-(1 → branches. In vitro and in vivo assay showed that ASALP could effectively alleviate inflammation by improving the dysregulation of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Specifically, ASALP significantly inhibited the production of nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated macrophages and in the serum of inflammatory mice, but increased the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10. The results from 16S rRNA (V3-V4) amplicon sequencing showed that the relative abundance of Firmicutes, Alistipes, Odoribacter and Lactobacillus in mice was significantly increased after ASALP treatment. Lower levels of Proteobacteria, Staphylococcus and Bacteroidetes were detected in LPS + ASALP treatment group. ASALP alleviated inflammation by improving the reduction of microbial diversity and affecting the composition of the gut microbiota. Our study could provide the basis for the subsequent research and application of ASALP.

Anti-inflammatory properties and gut microbiota modulation of an alkali-soluble polysaccharide from purple sweet potato in DSS-induced colitis mice

In this study, the potential effects of a novel alkali-soluble polysaccharide (ASPP) from purple sweet potato on colonic histopathology, inflammation and microbiota composition in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice were evaluated. The results indicated that ASPP restored the immune organ indices, increased colon length, improved colonic histopathology in colitis mice as well as inhibited the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) in colonic tissue and serum. Moreover, 16S rRNA phylogenetic sequencing revealed that ASPP ameliorated the compositions and functions of gut microbiota in DSS-induced colitis mice. It was found that Parasutterella, Desulfovibrio, Lachnospiraceae, Lactobacillus, Erysipelotrichaceae, Bacteroidetes were the key bacteria associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). Taken together, ASPP alleviated colonic inflammation via blocking pro-inflammatory cytokines; meanwhile ASPP could modulate the structure of gut microbiota in DSS-induced colitis mice.

Wasted Ganoderma tsugae Derived Chitosans for Smear Layer Removal in Endodontic Treatment

The objective of this study is to investigate the synergistic effects of acid etching and metal-ion chelation in dental smear layer removal using wasted Ganoderma tsugae derived chitosans. The wasted Ganoderma tsugae fruiting body was used to prepare both acid-soluble fungal chitosan (FCS) and alkali-soluble polysaccharide (ASP). To explore the effective irrigant concentration for smear layer removal, a chelating effect on ferrous ions was conducted. Specimens of various concentrations of EDTA, citric acid, and polysaccharide solutions were reacted with FerroZine™ then the absorbance was examined at 562 nm by a UV-visible spectrophotometer to calculate their metal chelating capability. Twenty extracted premolars were instrumented and individually soaked in the solutions of 15 wt% EDTA, 10 wt% citric acid, 0.04 wt% ASP, 0.04 wt% FCS, and normal saline were randomly divided into five groups (N=4). Next, each tooth was cleaved longitudinally and examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to assay the effectiveness of smear layer removal. The chelating capability for EDTA, FCS, and ASP showed no significant difference over the concentration of 0.04 wt% (p > 0.05). The SEM results showed that 0.04 wt% FCS solution was effective in smear layer removal along the canal wall. These results indicated that Ganoderma tsuage derived FCS in acid solutions could be a potential alternative as a root canal irrigant solution due to its synergistic effect.

Immunomodulatory Effect of Structurally Characterized Mushroom Sclerotial Polysaccharides Isolated from Polyporus rhinocerus on Bone Marrow Dendritic Cells.

This study evaluated the immunomodulatory effects of two high-molecular-weight and structurally different mushroom polysaccharides, an alkali-soluble polysaccharide (mPRSon) and a water-soluble polysaccharide-protein complex (PRW), isolated previously from the sclerotia of Pleurotus rhinocerus, on the maturation of murine bone-marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). The effects of mPRSon and PRW on the expression of morphological change, surface molecules, phagocytic activity, and cytokine release in BMDCs were determined by flow cytometry and a mouse cytokine array. The results showed that both mPRSon and PRW could induce phenotypic and functional maturation of BMDCs. At the same time, mPRSon upregulated the expression of membrane phenotypic marker CD86 and PRW markedly upregulated CD40, CD80, and CD86. In addition, mPRSon could bind to the dectin-1 receptor and stimulate the release of MIP-1α, MIP-2, and IL-2, while PRW could bind to complement receptor 3 and toll-like receptor 2 with an upregulation of the expression of IL-2, IL-6, MIP-1α, MIP-2, RANTES, IL-12p40p70, IL-12p70, TIMP-1, IFN-γ, KC, MCP-1, and GCSF. The study provides additional information on how structural differences in sclerotial polysaccharides influence their immunomodulatory activities on BMDCs involving different PAMP receptors. It is anticipated that more understanding of the interactions between the sclerotial polysaccharides and their receptors in immune cells can facilitate their future application for cancer immunotherapy.

Characterization and application of alkali-soluble polysaccharide of Carica papaya seeds for removal of indigo carmine and Congo red dyes from single and binary solutions

Adsorption of Congo red (CR) and indigo carmine (IC) dyes by alkali-soluble polysaccharide (ASP) extracted from Carica papaya seeds was studied in single as well as in binary mixtures. The adsorption study was performed by varying operating variables such as pH, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dosage, contact time and temperature. Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis and scanning electron microscopy images were used for characterization of ASP and dye-loaded ASP. Kinetic results fitted well the pseudo-second order and Elovich models. The Langmuir-Freundlich isotherm shows the best fit to the experimental data of both L-shape in single component whereas, the partial competitive Langmuir isotherm gives a best adjustment of binary experimental data. The maximum adsorption capacities of CR and IC in single/binary mixtures at 30 °C were 319.08/635.99 mg/g and 168.51/102.65 mg/g respectively. The thermodynamic study showed that the adsorption process is thermodynamically favorable, spontaneous, with exothermic process for IC and endothermic one for CR. The adsorption mechanism behaviors were dominated by the electrostatic interactions between adsorbent surface functional groups and dyes molecules. The desorption study showed that ethylenediaminetetraacetate ion (EDTA) was the best eluant for both dyes recovery. A good removal efficiency obtained during the five executed cycles suggests a good reusability of ASP.