BACKGROUND: Polysaccharides, common components of natural products extensively studied as dietary supplements and functional foods, have been found to have various activities. In the present study, a water-soluble polysaccharide, namely GBSP3a, was isolated and purified from G. biloba sarcotesta. The anti-inflammatory activity of GBSP3a in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages and the potential underlying molecular mechanisms were then assessed.
RESULTS: GBSP3a exerted its anti-inflammatory effect by remarkably inhibiting the secretion of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines, including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), tumor necrosis factor-(TNF-), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1 (IL-1 ) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Excessive mRNA and protein expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) were dose-dependently inhibited by GBSP3a in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Further research suggested that the anti-inflammatory effect of GBSP3a can be attributed to the modulation of the NF-B and MAPK signaling pathways. CONCLUSION: GBSP3a exhibits anti-inflammatory activity and exerts its anti-inflammatory effect probably through suppressing both NF-B and MAPK signaling pathway, indicating that GBSP3a could be used for the development of anti-inflammatory agent or nutraceuticals.
Statistical analysisAll results were from at least triplicate experiments and are presented as the mean ± standard deviation (SD). Statistical analysis was conducted using the SPSS 13.0 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). Analysis of significant difference was assessed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), followed by the Duncan's multiple-range test. Statistical significance was set as P < 0.05.
RESULTS
Homogeneity, molecular weight and monosaccharide composition of GBSP3aAfter purification by gel filtration chromatography, GBSP3a was obtained as an off-white powder. It had no absorption at 280 or 260 nm in the UV spectrum and had a negative response to the Folin-phenol test and barium chloride test, indicating the absence of protein, nucleic acid and sulfated groups. The content of uronic acid in GBSP3a was 7.92% as detected by the meta-hydroxydiphenyl colorimetric method. 35 The HPGPC profile of GBSP3a (Fig. 1A) displays a single and symmetrical peak, indicating that GPSB3a is a homogeneous polysaccharide. The weight average molecular weight of GBSP3a, as determined by high-performance size exclusion chromatography, was J Sci Food Agric 2019; 99: 2329-2339
CONCLUSIONIn the present study, a water-soluble polysaccharide called GBSP3a was isolated from G. biloba sarcotesta. The anti-inflammatory activity of GBSP3a was then assessed in LPS-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. The results indicated that GBSP3a exerted its J Sci Food Agric 2019; 99: 2329-2339