红芪活性成分免疫调节作用及机制研究进展

免疫功能受损或免疫系统紊乱会导致机体疾病发生,影响人身体健康,基于调节机体免疫治疗疾病已成为临床应用热点。红芪作为甘肃大宗药材,临床应用广泛,具有抗肿瘤、抗炎、免疫调节等多种药理作用。红芪活性成分主要有红芪多糖、黄酮类、萜类、皂苷类等,其中红芪多糖为红芪发挥免疫调节作用主要的物质基础。红芪增强机体免疫力主要体现在增强免疫器官功能,诱导免疫细胞分化、促进免疫因子分泌,提高单核巨噬细胞吞噬功能、调节炎性因子水平以及激活相关通路等方面来达到其抗肿瘤、抗炎作用。本文主要对红芪活性物质免疫调节作用进行阐述,为红芪的进一步临床开发应用提供思路。     

Immunomodulating effects of water-soluble extracts of traditional French Alps cheeses on a human T-lymphocyte cell line

The immunomodulation potential of four pressed-curd cheeses was studied in vitro on human T lymphocytes. T lymphocyte proliferation and metabolic activity were evaluated with optimized 5-bromo-2′-deoxyuridine and 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assays, respectively. The up to 4.6-fold stimulation of T-lymphocyte proliferation and metabolic activity by Abondance and Tomme de Savoie water-soluble extracts (WSEs) at the lag phase suggested the presence of immunomodulating compounds in these cheeses. Since peptides released from milk proteins during cheesemaking are potential immunomodulatory compounds, the high-performance liquid chromatography peptide profiles of the cheese WSEs were determined. While no correlation between peptide composition and in vitro immunomodulation of T-lymphocyte cells could be established, peptide quantity, size and hydrophobicity were related to cheesemaking technological parameters such as cheese age and cooking temperature.     

Applications of scaffolds: Tools for enhancing the immunomodulation of mesenchymal stromal cells

Exogenously delivered mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are therapeutically beneficial owing to their paracrine effect; they secrete various cytokines, nucleic acids, and proteins. Multiple bioengineering techniques can help MSC cultures to release secretomes by providing stem cell niche-like conditions (both structurally and functionally). Various scaffolds mimic the natural extracellular matrix (ECM) using both natural and synthetic polymers, providing favorable environments for MSC proliferation and differentiation. Depending on material properties, either topographically or elastically structured scaffolds can be fabricated. Three-dimensional scaffolds have tunable substrate rigidities and structures, aiding MSC cultivation. Decellularized ECM-derived hydrogels are similar to the natural ECM, thus improving the paracrine effects of MSCs. Here, we discuss recent research on the application of scaffolds to maximize the immunomodulatory function of MSCs.     

Biochemical characterization of a proteoglycan complex from an edible mushroom Ganoderma lucidum fruiting bodies and its immunoregulatory activity

A fraction, LZ-D-7, was isolated from the fruiting body of the edible mushroom Ganoderma lucidum using a series of chromatographic steps. Biochemical experiments showed that the complex is a proteoglycan and has a carbohydrate percentage of 95.3%, along with a protein percentage of 3.3%. Methylation analysis showed the polysaccharide moiety of LZ-D-7 had a backbone of 1,4-disubsituted-glucopyranosyl and 1,2,6-trisubstituted-glucopyranosyl residues. The branches were mainly composed of 1-substituted-glucopyranosyl residue, which was attached to 1,2,6-trisubstituted-glucopyranosyl residue via 2 or 6 position. Investigation of modulation of LZ-D-7 on BALB/c mouse spleen lymphocytes cells resulted in a three to four-fold increase of MSLs percentage. Analysis of activation and proliferation of MSLs indicated that LZ-D-7 activating most of the activated cells were B cells. The B cells were enlarged, expressed CD⁷¹⁺ and CD²⁵⁺ on the cell surface.     

Olive oil and its principal bioactive compound: Hydroxytyrosol – A review of the recent literature

BackgroundOlive (Olea europaea L.) oil is one of the main ingredients of the Mediterranean diets and as such, it is considered responsible for the overall well being of the Mediterranean populations. With European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) approving the health claims of olive oil in part due to the presence of hydroxytyrosol (HT), there is a global upsurge in the exploration of the different health promoting and disease preventing abilities of this bioactive compound.Scope and approachBesides presenting an overview of the fatty acid and phenolic (minor) profiles of olive oil, the present article reviews the nutraceutical properties of olive oil attributed to the presence of HT, health promoting and disease preventing abilities of pure HT, and the synthesis of HT and its metabolic derivatives of biological interests.Key findings and conclusionsOlive oil contains high profile fatty acids and phenolics. The fatty acid profile changes with maturation of the olives. Oleic acid predominates throughout the maturation period. Palmitic acid is predominantly found in the unripe stage while as, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, and linoleic acid are chiefly found in ripe olives. Oleuropein is the predominant secoiridoid in the early stages of olive maturation. As the maturation proceeds, oleuropein degrades to yield HT. Over the years, HT has been explored against a number of health complications and shows promising results against diabetes, inflammation, nervous disorders, angiogenesis, cancer, oxidative stress, heavy metal toxicity, hemolysis, LDL oxidation, muscle damage, and nephrotoxicity. The bioactive properties of HT are accomplished through nutrigenomic and immunomodulatory mechanisms. HT, its lipophilic derivatives, and many of its metabolites of biological interests have been synthesized through microbological, biotechnological, and other chemical strategies.     

Tumor associated macrophages reprogrammed by targeted bifunctional bioorthogonal nanozymes for enhanced tumor immunotherapy

Cancer immunotherapy has emerged as a promising cancer treatment. However, its efficacy is often limited by the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) in solid tumors. Herein, a new strategy has been presented by using bioorthogonal chemistry to reprogram TME. We designed a bifunctional mannose (Man) vector decorated palladium bioorthogonal nanozyme for in-situ synthesis of histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) vorinostat (FDA approved) with the ability to remodel tumor microenvironment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report to use a bioorthogonal nanozyme for cancer immunotherapy. In particular, the nanozyme could preferentially accumulate in M2 macrophages (termed M2Φ) to achieve local M2 re-education, which effectively avoided unnecessary inflammation in normal tissues. Moreover, vorinostat-induced TME reprogramming was synergistic with peroxidase-like activity of the nanozyme, and achieved enhanced tumor synergistic immunotherapy. In colon cancer (CT26)-tumor-bearing BALB/c mice, the nanozyme demonstrated macrophages polarization targeting M2Φ and activation of innate immune system, resulting in significantly enhanced tumor growth inhibition. Our work not only provides a new effective way to reprogram TME in vivo, but also shed light on the design of novel bioorthogonal nanozymes for cancer immunotherapy.     

Immunomodulatory activities of mushroom sclerotial polysaccharides

The fight against cancer cells in the human body involves a defense system that is comprised of the innate and adaptive immunities which is controlled by a series of immune responses mediated by different immune cells and their secretory substances including cytokines and chemokines. Polysaccharides, especially those of fungal origin are well-known immunopotentiators that can boost up the immune system. Polysaccharides isolated from the fruit bodies and mycelia of both medicinal and edible mushrooms have been found to exert immunomodulatory function and antitumor activity in numerous in vivo and in vitro studies. In contrast, the potential of polysaccharides isolated from mushroom sclerotia as immunomodulators is only emerging. This paper gives a mini review on how the immunomodulatory actions of mushroom polysaccharides can eradicate tumor cells and also includes a recent study on the activation of innate immune cells and T-helper cells in normal and athymic BALB/c mice by three mushroom sclerotial polysaccharides with different structural characteristics extracted from Pleurotus tuber-regium and Polyporus rhinocerus.