title: Immune stimulatory activity of BRP-4, an acidic polysaccharide from an edible plant, Basella rubra L.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluated the immunomodulatory effect of BRP-4, an acidic polysaccharide from Basella rubra (B. rubra) L on the macrophage activity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Phagocytic activity was determined by the ingestion of Latex Beads-Rabbit IgG-FITC using the fluorescent microscopy and flow cytometry analysis and nitric oxide production was measured using Griess reaction assay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  An enhanced production of NO was observed at 10 and 100 μg/mL of BRP-4. The phagocytic activity of macrophage was enhanced in BRP-4 treated RAW264.7 cells. BRP-4 combined with concanavalin A (Con A) provided obvious promotion and strengthening of the proliferation of the splenocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  BRP-4, polysaccharide isolated from B. rubra, is suggested to activate macrophage function and stimulate splenocyte proliferation. The strong immunomodulatory activity of BRP-4 confirmed its good potential as an immunotherapeutic adjuvant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, Gachon University, Sungnam, 461-701, South Korea. Electronic address: nimpi79@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Hye-Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Park
keywords: BRP-4; Immune stimunlatory; Macrophage; Phagocytic activity; Splenocyte proliferation