Lycium barbarum polysaccharide LBPF4-OL may be a new Toll-like receptor 4/MD2-MAPK signaling pathway activator and inducer.
Recognition of the utility of the traditional Chinese medicine Lycium barbarum L. has been gradually increasing in Europe and the Americas. Many immunoregulation and antitumor effects of L. barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) have been reported, but its molecular mechanism is not yet clear. In this study, we reported that the activity of the polysaccharide LBPF4-OL, which was purified from LBP, is closely associated with the TLR4-MAPK signaling pathway. We found that LBPF4-OL can significantly induce TNF-α and IL-1β production in peritoneal macrophages isolated from wild-type (C3H/HeN) but not TLR4-deficient mice (C3H/HeJ). We also determined that the proliferation of LBPF4-OL-stimulated lymphocytes from C3H/HeJ mice is significantly weaker than that of lymphocytes from C3H/HeN mice. Furthermore, through a bio-layer interferometry assay, we found that LPS but not LBPF4-OL can directly associate with the TLR4/MD2 molecular complex. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that LBPF4-OL markedly upregulates TLR4/MD2 expression in both peritoneal macrophages and Raw264.7 cells. As its mechanism of action, LBPF4-OL increases the phosphorylation of p38-MAPK and inhibits the phosphorylation of JNK and ERK1/2, as was observed through Western blot analysis. These data suggest that the L. barbarum polysaccharide LBPF4-OL is a new Toll-like receptor 4/MD2-MAPK signaling pathway activator and inducer.
Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
Xiao-rui
XR
Zhang
Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
Chun-hui
CH
Qi
Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
Jun-ping
JP
Cheng
Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China.
Gang
G
Liu
Key Laboratory of Resource and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, Life Science College, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Lin-juan
LJ
Huang
Key Laboratory of Resource and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, Life Science College, Northwest University, Xi'an 710069, China.
Zhong-fu
ZF
Wang
Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China. Electronic address: zhouwx@nic.bmi.ac.cn.
Wen-xia
WX
Zhou
Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing 100850, China. Electronic address: zhangyx@nic.bmi.ac.cn.
Yong-xiang
YX
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C502579:TLR4-MD2 protein complex, mouse; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C500223:lycium barbarum polysaccharide; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Inflammatory factor; Lycium barbarum polysaccharides; Lymphocytes; Macrophages; Mitogen-activated protein kinase; TLR4/MD2 complex