Arabinogalactans from Larix principis-rupprechtii: An investigation into the structure-function contribution of
Shuo Tang1, Ting Wang1, Caoxing Huang1
1Key Laboratory of Forestry Genetics & Biotechnology (Nanjing Forestry University), Ministry of Education, Nanjing 210037, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Co-Innovation Center of Efficient Processing and Utilization of Forest Resources, College of Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, People's Republic of China; Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Green Biomass-based Fuels and Chemicals, Nanjing 210037, People's Republic of China.
Abstract:
Certain polysaccharides can serve as bio-active natural polymers that provide health benefits, however their complex structures tend to induce dramatically different activities. In this work, the immunomodulatory activity of the two arabinogalactans from larch was investigated, based upon comparison of native arabinogalactans and those modified to have lesser quantities of side-chain paraphernalia. Various in vitro assays demonstrated that the native arabinogalactans increased the secretion of macrophage-derived biological factors including NO, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6. Methylation analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance spectra results indicated that part side chains of arabinogalactan were successfully removed. Partial removal of the side-chains enhanced immunomodulatory activity, while excessive removal resulted in a sharp decrease in immunomodulatory activity. These results provide new evidence that alludes to the structure-function relationship of bio-active polysaccharides, furthering the case for development of a universal assessment of polysaccharide structure-function proclivities.
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