Exopolysaccharide from Trichoderma pseudokoningii promotes maturation of murine dendritic cells

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the key regulators of immune responses. In this study, the effect of an exopolysaccharide (EPS) from the culture broth of Trichoderma pseudokoningii on the phenotypic and functional maturation of murine DCs and its underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated. It showed that EPS induced the morphological changes of DCs and the enhanced expression of DCs featured surface molecules CD11c, CD86, CD80 and major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II). Flow cytometry analysis showed that the treatment with EPS could reduce FITC-dextran uptake by DCs. Sequentially, the results of ELISA indicated that EPS could increase the production of interleukin-12p70 (IL-12p70) in culture supernatant of DCs. Immunofluorescence staining and western blot analysis further revealed that EPS significantly prompted nuclear factor (NF)-κB subunit p65 translocation, IκB-α protein degradation, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. And the production of IL-12p70 was significantly decreased in condition of the inhibition of p38 or NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings suggested that EPS could induce DCs maturation through both p38 MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways.