[Effects of the polysaccharides isolated from mycelium and fermentation fluid of Schizophyllum commune on immune...

SPG1 and SPG2 are polysaccharides extracted respectively from fermented cultural mycelium and fermentation fluid of Schizophyllum commune. This paper reports the effect of SPG1 and SPG2 on concanavalin A (Con A) induced proliferation of lymphocyte from C57BL/6J mice in vitro. SPG1 (10, 25, 50 and 100 micrograms/ml) and SPG2 (10, 50 and 100 micrograms/ml) was found to significantly increase lymphocyte proliferation. In addition, SPG1 (10, 25, 50 and 75 micrograms/ml) antagonized the suppressive effect of hydrocortisone on proliferation of mouse spleen cells, while SPG2 did not. In vivo, at the dose of 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg ip for 9 days, SPG1 and SPG2 remarkably enhanced the delayed-type hypersensitivity to 2, 4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) in mice. SPG1 (1.25, 2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg, ip for 1 day) and SPG2 (2.5 and 5.0 mg/kg, ip for 1 day) promoted the plaque forming cell (PFC) response to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) in mice. The effects of SPG1 and SPG2 on immune function were studied in aged immunodeficient mice. SPG1 (10 and 25 micrograms/ml) and SPG2 (25 micrograms/ml) was found to enhance the Con A induced lymphocyte proliferation in 14 months aged mice. At the dose of 2.5 mg/kg, SPG1 and SPG2 produced respectively 162.1 and 136.0% increase in PFC response in 14 months aged mice.