Immunomodulatory function and anti-tumor mechanism of natural polysaccharides: A review

Abstract

Polysaccharides extracted from natural resources have attracted extensive attention in biomedical research and pharmaceutical fields, due to their medical values in anti-tumor, immunomodulation, drug delivery, and many other aspects. At present, a variety of natural polysaccharides have been developed as adjuvant drugs in clinical application. Benefit from their structural variability, polysaccharides have great potential in regulating cellular signals. Some polysaccharides exert direct anti-tumor effects by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, while the majority of polysaccharides can regulate the host immune system and indirectly inhibit tumors by activating either non-specific or specific immune responses. As the essential of microenvironment in the process of tumor development has been gradually revealed, some polysaccharides were found to inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells via tumoral niche modulation. Here, we focused on natural polysaccharides with biomedical application potential, reviewed the recent advancement in their immunomodulation function and highlighted the importance of their signaling transduction feature for the antitumor drug development.

Structural characterization and bioactive screening of two homogeneity proteins from Tianshan red deer abomasum

“…Macromolecular compounds also have been reported to produce anti-tumor activity through antioxidant and immune modulation. Immune function is also associated with in ammatory responses (Ying & Hao, 2023). Based on the results of this experiment, future research will develop more active protein of Tianshan red deer abomasum and delve into their active mechanisms.…”

Beta-Glucan as a Soluble Dietary Fiber Source: Origins, Biosynthesis, Extraction, Purification, Structural Characteristics, Bioavailability, Biofunctional Attributes, Industrial Utilization, and Global Trade

“…It stands as the second leading cause of mortality worldwide, responsible for approximately one in every six deaths [ 74 ]. Annually, there are nearly 19.3 million reported new cancer cases, resulting in approximately 10 million global fatalities [ 75 ]. The current gold-standard therapies, including surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, are associated with considerable side effects and yield a less-than-ideal prognosis.…”

Research Progress of Polysaccharide-Gold Nanocomplexes in Drug Delivery

“…Moreover, these complex molecules have exhibited therapeutic potential in treating diverse diseases, including tumors, infections, and autoimmune disorders [ 36 ]. Numerous studies have extensively investigated the various biological activities of polysaccharides, with the primary emphasis placed on immune regulation [ 37 ], antitumor [ 38 ], antivirus [ 39 ], anti-coagulation [ 40 ], and antioxidation [ 32 ]. The biological activity of polysaccharides is intricately linked to several factors, including monosaccharide composition, glycoside bond type, spatial structure, molecular weight, and branched chain structure [ 41 ].…”