title: Immunostimulating activity of polyhydric alcohol isolated from Taxus cuspidata.
abstract: A polyhydric alcohol (PAL) was isolated from Taxus cuspidata and its immunostimulatory activities were assessed. The primary monosaccharide composition of the PAL was determined to be glucose, where HPAEC analysis showed no significant amount of any other sugars. However, glycerol and xylitol were identified as the main sugar alcohols. Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) analysis indicated that the purified PAL is a complex glycitol, which structurally contains significant amount of hydroxyl groups. MALDI-TOF mass spectroscopy also demonstrated that PAL is a complex glycitol built in hexose polymerization. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay showed that the PAL stimulates the release of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, treatment of RAW 264.7 cells with PAL for 24h remarkably increased the phosphorylation levels of ERK, p38 and JNK in a dose-dependent manner, whereas the total protein levels of ERK (t-ERK), p38 (t-p38) and JNK (t-JNK) remained unchanged. These results clearly demonstrate that PAL stimulates the immune response in RAW 264.7 cells through the activation of MAPKs (ERK, p38 and JNK) signaling pathway. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the primary structure and immune-stimulating activities of PAL from the fruit of T. cuspidata.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Seongnamdaero 1342, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 461-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Choon Guen
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon 420-743, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jisun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Seongnamdaero 1342, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 461-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Da Gyung
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Seongnamdaero 1342, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 461-701, South Korea.
authors.forename: Joo Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY 40202, USA.
authors.forename: Mawadda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alnaeeli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, The Catholic University of Korea, Bucheon 420-743, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Il
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Gachon University, Seongnamdaero 1342, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do 461-701, South Korea. Electronic address: jkpark@gachon.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jae Kweon
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000438:Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008970:Molecular Weight; D009005:Monosaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012995:Solubility; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D017550:Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D020946:Taxus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000438:Alcohols; D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D009005:Monosaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011134:Polysaccharides; D013402:Sugar Alcohols; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
keywords: Immune-stimulation; Polyhydric alcohol; Taxus cuspidata