title: Cheonggukjang polysaccharides enhance immune activities and prevent cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression.
abstract: Cheonggukjang is a traditional Korean fermentation product prepared from soybean that is reported to have various biological functions. We previously reported that the polysaccharides from Cheonggukjang (PSCJ) have immunostimulatory activities in RAW 264.7 macrophages and primary cultured splenocytes. In this study, the immunostimulatory activities of the PSCJ were investigated further using various experimental models such as in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. The PSCJ was able to stimulate the complement system (ITCH50: 30.6%). In primary cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages, the PSCJ was found to significantly increase nitric oxide and immunostimulatory cytokines (IL-6 and IL-12) production in a concentration-dependent manner (1-100 μg/mL). In the normal mice model, the oral administration of the PSCJ increased the weight of spleen (p < 0.05 at 100 and 200 mg/kg) and improved the phagocytic rates of peritoneal macrophages (p < 0.05 at 200 mg/kg) and lymphocytes proliferation (p < 0.05 at 100 and 200 mg/kg). Similarly, the PSCJ markedly restored the decreased lymphocytes proliferation (p < 0.01 at 200 mg/kg), natural killer cell activity (p < 0.01 at 200mg/kg), and white blood cell count (p<0.01 at 100 and 200 mg/kg) in the cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppressed mice model. These results suggest that the PSCJ could be utilized as an effective immunostimulatory agent.
authors.affiliation: Division of Strategic Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, Gyeonggi 463-746, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Won
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Yanbian University, Jilin 133002, China.
authors.forename: Chun-ji
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Division of Strategic Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, Gyeonggi 463-746, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Rhee
authors.affiliation: Division of Strategic Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, Gyeonggi 463-746, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Chul
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Kyonggi University, Gyeonggi 443-760, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kwang-Soon
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Biochemistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul 130-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Tae
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Strategic Food Research, Korea Food Research Institute, Gyeonggi 463-746, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: honghd@kfri.re.kr.
authors.forename: Hee-Do
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Hong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003520:Cyclophosphamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007165:Immunosuppression Therapy; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D013025:Glycine max / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011134:Polysaccharides; D003520:Cyclophosphamide
keywords: Cheonggukjang; Immunostimulatory activity; Polysaccharide