Orally administered glucans from the edible mushroom Pleurotus pulmonarius reduce acute inflammation in dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis.

Abstract

Polysaccharides are one of the most potent mushroom-derived substances exhibiting anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. The aims of the present study were to determine whether orally administered glucans from the edible mushroom Pleurotus pulmonarius could attenuate or prevent the development of experimental colitis in mice. Colonic inflammation was induced in mice by treatment with 3.5 % dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for 18 d. Before or after DSS administration, mice were given hot water solubles (HWS) or mycelium extract (ME) (2 or 20 mg per mouse) daily in their food. Colonic damage was macroscopically and histologically evaluated. Inflammation was assessed by changes in colon length, TNF-alpha levels released by colonic samples in organ culture and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory (IL-1beta) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokines in colonic samples were determined by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. P. pulmonarius glucans attenuated and prevented the development of symptoms associated with DSS-induced colitis. High doses of HWS and ME blocked colon shortening, suppressed MPO activity and improved macroscopic score in all treatment groups. In addition, histological damage from colitis was reduced by HWS and ME at all doses. The tissue levels of TNF-alpha protein were significantly decreased and correlated with degree of inflammation and macroscopic score. All treatments significantly attenuated the increased DSS-mediated expression levels of IL-1beta. We conclude that the different glucan preparations (HWS or ME) harvested from P. pulmonarius when orally administered to DSS-treated mice attenuate the development of colonic inflammation, suggesting putative clinical utility for these extracts in the treatment of colitis.

• Authors: Iris Lavi, Dana Levinson, Irena Peri, Lili Nimri, Yitzhak Hadar, Betty Schwartz
• Journal: The British journal of nutrition (Br J Nutr) Vol. 103 Issue 3 Pg. 393-402 (Feb 2010) ISSN: 1475-2662 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19772681 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• DNA, Complementary
• Glucans
• Interleukin-1beta
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
• Interleukin-10
• Dextran Sulfate
• Peroxidase
• glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate phosphatase
• Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases

Topics

• Administration, Oral
• Animals
• Cecum (drug effects, pathology)
• Colitis (chemically induced, pathology, prevention & control)
• Colon (drug effects, pathology)
• DNA, Complementary (genetics)
• Dextran Sulfate (adverse effects, pharmacology, toxicity)
• Disease Models, Animal
• Female
• Glucans (isolation & purification, pharmacology)
• Inflammation (chemically induced, pathology, prevention & control)
• Interleukin-10 (genetics)
• Interleukin-1beta (genetics)
• Intestinal Mucosa (drug effects, pathology)
• Mice
• Mice, Inbred BALB C
• Neutrophils (drug effects, physiology)
• Peroxidase (metabolism)
• Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases (genetics)
• Pleurotus
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (metabolism)