Structure elucidation and antitumor activity of a new polysaccharide from Maerkang .

A new heteropolysaccharide was isolated from the fruiting bodies of which had a molecular weight of 12078 Da. The results of structural features analysis showed that polysaccharide, here named TMP-B, was mainly composed of α - D - glucose and α - D - galactose which ratios were 7:2 and had a backbone of 1, 4 - linked α - D - glucose which branches were mainly composed of two 6 - linked α - D - galactose residue, and the α - D - galactose was 1, 6 - linked. Antitumor activity results showed that heteropolysaccharide TMP-B could inhibit the growth of S180 tumor and promote the apoptosis of L929 cells . Immunoregulatory activity results showed that TMP-B could promote the proliferation of macrophages by affecting G0/G1 phase, S phases and G2/M phases and promote cytokines release and gene expression. The result of this study introduced Maerkang as a possible valuable source which helped to exhibit unique antitumor and immunoregulatory properties.