Mitogen activated protein kinases are prime signalling enzymes in nitric oxide production induced by soluble β-glucan from Sparassis crispa

Abstract

Sparassis crispa (SC) is an edible mushroom that harbours β-glucans reported to possess immunostimulatory and anticancer properties. The role of SC in regulating the functional activation of macrophages is yet to be fully elucidated. The objective of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanism underlying the immune-stimulatory function of Sparassis crispa soluble β-glucan (Sc-SG) on macrophages. According to this study, Sc-SG was able to stimulate nitric oxide (NO) production as well as enhance the expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) from macrophage-like RAW264.7 cells. NO production was strongly suppressed by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) inhibitors such as U0126, extracellular signal-regulated kinase, SB203580, a p38 inhibitor, and SP600125, a c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor. Thus, indicating that Sc-SG-induced NO release is possibly mediated by MAPK. Sc-SG induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38, and JNK in a time-dependent manner. Moreover, Sc-SG triggered the phosphorylation and translocation of c-Jun and c-Fos, components of the transcription factor AP-1, activated by MAPK. The results of this study suggest that MAPK may be a major signaling enzyme that regulates the Sc-SG-mediated NO production in macrophages.

Anticancer properties of low molecular weight oat beta-glucan – An in vitro study

“…Based on in vitro studies, ␤-glucans act on several immune receptors, e.g. dectin-1 and trigger a group of immune cells including monocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, natural killer cells and dendritic cells [3,[11][12][13][14]. The entire signaling pathway downstream to dectin-1 activation leads to the release of cytokines including interleukin IL-12, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and IL-10.…”

Effects of Sparassis crispa in Medical Therapeutics: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

“…Among them, some studies demonstrated more than two healing effects of the mushroom [ 7 , 26 , 28 , 29 , 30 ]. Simultaneously, the anti-diabetic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and antioxidant activities of S. crispa were reported in seven [ 6 , 12 , 14 , 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 ], nine-teen [ 7 , 13 , 15 , 21 , 23 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ], four [ 7 , 22 , 30 , 42 ], three [ 19 , 29 , 43 ], and six [ 8 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 44 , 45 ] studies, respectively.…”

“…From nine-teen studies [ 7 , 13 , 15 , 21 , 23 , 24 , 26 , 28 , 30 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 , 41 ], seven reported an anti-tumor activity, five showed an inhibition of cancer cell viability, and nine indicated IFN- induction of S. crispa extracts. On the other hand, there are several reports which showed appropriate data in many respects [ 3 , 7 ].…”

Stimulation with the Aureobasidium pullulans-produced β-glucan effectively induces interferon stimulated genes in macrophage-like cell lines

“…It has been reported that phosphorylation of Ser 727 in STAT1 is upregulated by the activation of the MAPK pathway21. In addition, the MAPK pathway is known to be activated after stimulation with β-glucan27. Therefore, the MAPK pathway may possibly be involved in the Ser 727 phosphorylation of STAT1 induced after stimulation with AP-PG.…”