Macrophage Stimulation Activity of the Polysaccharide Fraction from a Marine Alga (Porphyra yezoensis): Structure-Function Relationships and Improved Solubility

• Published in: Bioscience, biotechnology, and biochemistry Vol. 59; no. 10; pp. 1933 - 1937
• Main Authors: Yoshizawa, Yasuko, Ametani, Akio, Tsunehiro, Jun, Nomura, Kazuyo, Itoh, Masao, Fukui, Fumio, Kaminogawa, Shuichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Taylor & Francis 1995; Japan Society for Bioscience Biotechnology and Agrochemistry
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; Chemical Fractionation; Female; Glycoside Hydrolases - metabolism; Immunomodulators; Macrophage Activation; Macrophages - immunology; Marine; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Molecular Structure; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Polysaccharides - chemistry; Polysaccharides - immunology; Porphyra yezoensis; Rhodophyta; Rhodophyta - chemistry; Rhodophyta - immunology; Solubility; Structure-Activity Relationship; Sulfuric Acid Esters - metabolism; Viscosity; Immunomodulator; Structure activity relation; Algae; Plant origin; Solubility; Porphyra; Enzymatic digestion; Activation; Polysaccharide; Rhodophycophyta; Thallophyta; Macrophage
• ISSN: 0916-8451; 1347-6947
• DOI: 10.1271/bbb.59.1933

The polysaccharide fraction from Porphyra yezoensis (PASF) has already been shown to stimulate murine phagocytic functions in vivo and in vitro [Yo Yoshizawa et al., Biosci. Biotech. Biochem., 57, 1862-1866 (1993)]. In this study, various treatments were applied to PASF to assess its structure-function relationships. Desulfation of PASF decreased in vitro macrophage-stimulation activity, while further sulfation of PASF did not change the activity. Among 7 fractions obtained by anion-exchange chromatography of PASF, stronger activity was found in the fractions having a lower or higher sulfate content than in those having a medium sulfate content. Digests of PASF with β-agarase showed higher activity and solubility, and lower viscosity, than undigested PASF. These results indicate that the sulfate groups in PASF, probably porphyran, contributed to the macrophage stimulating activity, although a larger number of sulfate groups did not always cause stronger activity.