Li Wenqing, Zhao Biaoxi, Liu Xiaopeng, He Zhuobin, Xie Liqiao, Qian Zhengming
Key Laboratory of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongguan HEC Cordyceps R&D Co., Ltd., Dongguan, Guangdong 523850, China.
Key Laboratory of State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongguan HEC Cordyceps R&D Co., Ltd., Dongguan, Guangdong 523850, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Apr;301:140394. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.140394. Epub 2025 Jan 27.
Cultivated Chinese cordyceps, an optimal substitute for the endangered wild resource, has recently been produced on a large scale. This work sought to explore the structural features and immunomodulatory activity of a novel low-molecular-weight polysaccharide (CSP1a, 15.7 kDa) isolated from cultivated Chinese cordyceps. CSP1a was prepared with a multi-step process that encompassed hot water extraction, alcohol precipitation, and column chromatographic purification. The monosaccharide composition, infrared spectroscopy, methylation, and nuclear magnetic resonance results revealed that CSP1a was highly branched (with a branching degree of 49.21 %) and primarily constituted of galactose (30.60 %), glucose (12.87 %) and mannose (56.53 %), comprising 13 distinct types of glycosidic linkage fragments. The main chain of CSP1a consisted of different mannose residues, with several exposed β-d-Galf-(1→ residues in various side chains. The results from scanning electron microscopy and Congo red analyses revealed that CSP1a possessed a reticulated porous chain conformation, which enhanced its bioavailability and demonstrated its potential as a carrier. In vitro immunological investigations demonstrated that CSP1a significantly promoted splenic lymphocyte proliferation. Additionally, CSP1a increased RAW264.7 cell proliferation, improved phagocytic capacity, and stimulated the secretion of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, CSP1a, a novel low-molecular-weight polysaccharide galactoglucomannan with a high branching degree and reticulated porous chain conformation, was isolated for the first time from cultivated Chinese cordyceps and showed promise as a potential immunomodulator or drug carrier. These findings contribute to elucidating the polysaccharide material basis for the immune activity of Chinese cordyceps and promote its industrial development as a functional food product.
人工培育的冬虫夏草作为濒危野生资源的最佳替代品，近年来已实现大规模生产。本研究旨在探索从人工培育的冬虫夏草中分离得到的一种新型低分子量多糖（CSP1a，15.7 kDa）的结构特征和免疫调节活性。CSP1a通过热水提取、乙醇沉淀和柱色谱纯化等多步工艺制备而成。单糖组成、红外光谱、甲基化和核磁共振结果表明，CSP1a具有高度分支结构（分支度为49.21%），主要由半乳糖（30.60%）、葡萄糖（12.87%）和甘露糖（56.53%）组成，包含13种不同类型的糖苷键片段。CSP1a的主链由不同的甘露糖残基组成，在各个侧链中有几个暴露的β-d-Galf-(1→残基。扫描电子显微镜和刚果红分析结果表明，CSP1a具有网状多孔链构象，这提高了其生物利用度并显示出其作为载体的潜力。体外免疫学研究表明，CSP1a显著促进脾淋巴细胞增殖。此外，CSP1a以剂量依赖的方式增加RAW264.7细胞增殖，提高吞噬能力，并刺激一氧化氮（NO）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）和肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）的分泌。总之，CSP1a是一种首次从人工培育的冬虫夏草中分离得到的新型低分子量半乳葡甘露聚糖，具有高度分支结构和网状多孔链构象，有望成为潜在的免疫调节剂或药物载体。这些发现有助于阐明冬虫夏草免疫活性的多糖物质基础，并促进其作为功能性食品的产业发展。
