title: Effects of the exopolysaccharide fraction (EPSF) from a cultivated Cordyceps sinensis on immunocytes of H22 tumor bearing mice.
abstract: In order to explore the effects of exopolysaccharide fraction (EPSF) from one of the anamorph strains of Cordyceps sinensis on immunocyte activity of H22 tumor bearing mice, ICR mice were treated with EPSF for 7 days by intraperitoneal injection at doses of 15 mg/kg (low-dose), 30 mg/kg (mid-dose) and 60 mg/kg (high-dose) after H22 tumor cells were implanted. At the end of the experiments, the tumor weight of each mouse was measured. Phagocytosis of mouse peritoneal macrophages was tested by neutral red uptake. The TNF-alpha expression of macrophages was assayed by ELISA. Proliferation ability and cytotoxicity of spleen lymphocytes were determined by MTT methods. The mRNA levels of cytokine TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA of spleen lymphocytes were detected by RT-PCR. The results indicated that EPSF not only significantly inhibited the H22 tumor growth, but also significantly elevated immunocytes' activity. It significantly enhanced the phagocytosis capacity of peritoneal macrophages and proliferation ability of spleen lymphocytes at all the three doses; it significantly promoted macrophages' TNF-alpha expression and spleen lymphocytes' cytotoxicity. EPSF also significantly elevated TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma mRNA expression of splenic lymphocytes. This experimental finding suggests that EPSF could elevate the immunocytes' activity in H22 tumor bearing mice.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China. zhangwy@nju.edu.cn
authors.forename: Weiyun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shuiqing
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Qiu
authors.forename: Jiaping
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D032661:Cordyceps; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008114:Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma