Distribution of Zinc in Mycelial Cells and Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Mycelia Zinc Polysaccharides from Thelephora ganbajun TG-01.

This study demonstrates that Thelephora ganbajun had a strong ability to absorb zinc, and zinc can be compartmentally stored in the small vesicles and mainly accumulated in the form of zinc-enriched polysaccharides (zinc content was 25.0 ± 1.27 mg/g). Mycelia zinc polysaccharides (MZPS) and its fractions were isolated. The main fraction (MZPS-2) with the highest antioxidant activity in vitro was composed of mannose : galacturonic acid : glucose : galactose in a molar ratio of 61.19 : 1 : 39.67 : 48.67, with a weight-averaged molecular weight of 5.118 × 105 Da. MZPS-2 had both α-pyranose and ß-pyranose configuration and had a triple helical conformation. By establishing zebrafish models, we found that MZPS-2 can significantly scavenge free radicals, reduce the generation of reactive oxygen species caused by inflammation, and inhibit the recruitment of neutrophils toward the injury site. Therefore, MZPS-2 exhibited antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects and can be used as a zinc supplement with specific biological activities to alleviate zinc deficiency complications, such as chronic oxidative stress or inflammation.

Isolation, Characterization, and Pharmaceutical Applications of an Exopolysaccharide from Aerococcus Uriaeequi.

Many marine bacteria secrete exopolysaccharides (EPSs), which are made up of a substantial component of the macro-molecules surrounding cells. Recently, the wide demand for EPSs for food, cosmetics, pharmaceutical and other applications has led to great interest in them. In this study, an EPS produced by marine bacteria Aerococcus uriaeequi HZ strains (EPS-A) was isolated and purified to examine its structure and biological function. The molecular weight of EPS-A analyzed by high-performance liquid gel filtration chromatography (HPGFC) is found to have a number average of 2.22 × 105 and weight average of 2.84 × 105, respectively. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Fourier-transform⁻infrared (FT⁻IR) analysis indicate that EPS-A was a polysaccharide composed of glucose and a little mannose. In addition, the flocculating rate of sewage of EPS-A was 79.90%. The hygroscopicity studies showed that hygroscopicity of EPS-A was higher than chitosan but lower than that of sodium hyaluronate. The moisture retention of EPS-A showed similar retention activity to both chitosan and sodium hyaluronate. EPS-A also can scavenge free radicals including both OH• free radical and O2•- free radical and the activity to O2•- free radical is similar to vitamin C. Safety assessment on mice indicated that the EPS-A is safe for external use and oral administration. EPS-A has great potential for applications in medicine due to its characteristics mentioned above.