Urinary metabolite biomarkers of pregnancy complications associated with maternal exposure to particulate matter.

Particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5) is associated with reproductive health and adverse pregnancy outcomes. However, studies evaluating biological markers of PM2.5 are lacking, and identifying biomarkers for estimating prenatal exposure to prevent pregnancy complications is essential. Therefore, we aimed to explore urine metabolites that are easy to measure as biomarkers of exposure. In this matched case-control study based on the PM2.5 exposure, 30 high PM2.5 group (>15 µg/m3) and 30 low PM2.5 group (<15 µg/m3) were selected from air pollution on pregnancy outcome (APPO) cohort study. We used a time-weighted average model to estimate individual PM exposure, which used indoor PM2.5 and outdoor PM2.5 concentrations by atmospheric measurement network based on residential addresses. Clinical characteristics and urine samples were collected from participants during the second trimester of pregnancy. Urine metabolites were quantitatively measured using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry following multistep chemical derivatization. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 21 and MetaboAnalyst 5.0. Small for gestational age and gestational diabetes (GDM) were significantly increased in the high PM2.5 group, respectively (P = 0.042, and 0.022). Fifteen metabolites showed significant differences between the two groups (P < 0.05). Subsequent pathway enrichment revealed that four pathways, including pentose and glucuronate interconversion with three pentose sugars (ribose, arabinose, and xylose; P < 0.05). The concentration of ribose increased preterm births (PTB) and GDM (P = 0.044 and 0.049, respectively), and the arabinose concentration showed a tendency to increase in PTB (P = 0.044). Therefore, we identified urinary pentose metabolites as biomarkers of PM2.5 and confirmed the possibility of their relationship with pregnancy complications.

Profiling of historical rag papers by their non-cellulosic polysaccharide composition.

Hemicellulose and pectin are noteworthy components of historical European rag papers, and have not been studied in detail so far. Rag papers were made from used textiles, and fiber-based utilities, such as ropes and bags. These had been prepared until the mid-19th century from plant-based fibers. Their polysaccharide composition could relate to their condition and history. This information can be expected to hold importance for the preservation and conservation of historical objects. We investigated a collection of rag papers of different age for their composition of non-cellulosic polysaccharides, and compared the findings with modern rag papers and wood pulps. Furthermore, a non-destructive determination of the hemicellulose and pectin content by near-infrared spectroscopy was developed. Historical rag papers had a lower hemicellulose/pectin content than pulps; the fractions of rhamnose, galactose, and arabinose were higher, while xylose was lower. In modern rag papers, xylose tended to be at the higher end of the range, which suggests a degradation of hemicelluloses/pectin over time or a change in raw materials and manufacturing. Rag papers also showed higher crystallinity than wood pulp papers. These findings provide insights into rag paper characteristics and offer potential classification methods.

Interventional effect of compound sugar and salt on the thermal instability behavior of liquid egg yolk.

In this study, the influence of compound sugar (glucose, sucrose, trehalose, and arabinose) and compound sugar and salt (glucose, sucrose, trehalose, arabinose, and NaCl) on the thermal stability of heat-treated liquid egg yolk was explored. The results showed that the addition of 4% compound sugar or 4% compound sugar salt could significantly enhance the heat resistance of liquid egg yolk and increase the denaturation temperature of liquid egg yolk to above 77°C. Moreover, the addition of sugar and salt could improve the functional properties of liquid egg yolk to varying degrees, allowing it to maintain excellent emulsification and soluble protein content after heat treatment. Further analysis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the increase in α-helix content in liquid egg yolk treated with sugar salt also contributes to improving the thermal stability of egg yolk. The method of inhibiting egg yolk aggregation caused by heat treatment provided in this study provides a selective method and theoretical basis for the commercial production of heat-resistant liquid egg yolk.

Degradation of water-soluble polysaccharides in pulp of litchi during storage.

Water-soluble polysaccharides (WSP) were extracted from the pulp of litchi. Its main component was identified as arabinogalactan. The dominant monosaccharide constituents were arabinose and galactose. Galactose and mannose accumulated at the end of storage. ATP, ADP and AMP levels declined with increasing pulp breakdown index. WSP depolymerized which was characterized by a decrease in its content and molecular weight, while its structure remained stable during storage. Polygalacturonase and pectate lyase (PL) were active at the early storage time, and ß-galactosidase (GAL) and α-l-arabinofuranosidase followed thereafter. Except for some pectin methylesterase (LcPME), LcPL, LcGAL and LcPME gene expression was downregulated. It was deduced that depolymerization of polysaccharides was mainly caused by the rupture of the branched side chain and glacturonic acid backbone to smaller repeating units, and both cell wall-degrading enzymes and nonenzymatic factors, such as energy level, participated in the degradation of polysaccharides, and consequently pulp breakdown of litchi.

Isolation, Characterization, and Compositional Analysis of Polysaccharides from Pinot Noir Wines: An Exploratory Study.

It has been reported that polysaccharides in wine can interact with tannins and other wine components and modify the sensory properties of the wine. Unfortunately, the contribution of polysaccharides to wine quality is poorly understood, mainly due to their complicated structure and varied composition. In addition, the composition and molecular structure of polysaccharides in different wines can vary greatly. In this study, the polysaccharides were isolated from pinot noir wine, then separated into high-molecular-weight (PNWP-H) and low-molecular-weight (PNWP-L) fractions using membrane-based ultrafiltration. Each polysaccharide fraction was further studied using size exclusion chromatography, UV-Vis, FT-IR, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-high-resolution mass spectrometry, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that PNWP-L and PNWP-H had different chemical properties and compositions. The FT-IR analysis showed that PNWPs were acidic polysaccharides with α- and ß-type glycosidic linkages. PNWP-L and PNWP-H had different α- and ß-type glycosidic linkage structures. FT-IR showed stronger antisymmetric and symmetric stretching vibrations of carboxylate anions of uronic acids in PNWP-L, suggesting more uronic acid in PNWP-L. The size exclusion chromatography results showed that over 72% of the PNWP-H fraction had molecular sizes from 25 kDa to 670 kDa. Only a small percentage of smaller molecular polysaccharides was found in the PNWP-H fraction. In comparison, all of the polysaccharides in the PNWP-L fraction were below 25 KDa, with a majority distributed approximately 6 kDa (95.1%). GC-MS sugar composition analysis showed that PNWP-L was mainly composed of galacturonic acid, rhamnose, galactose, and arabinose, while PNWP-H was mainly composed of mannose, arabinose, and galactose. The molecular size distribution and sugar composition analysis suggested that the PNWP-L primarily consisted of rhamnogalacturonans and polysaccharides rich in arabinose and galactose (PRAG). In comparison, PNWP-H were mostly mannoproteins and polysaccharides rich in arabinose and galactose (PRAG). Further research is needed to understand the impacts of these fractions on wine organoleptic properties.

Isolation, Purification, and Antioxidant Activities of Polysaccharides from Choerospondias axillaris Leaves.

The extraction, characterization and antioxidant activity of polysaccharides from Choerospondias axillaris leaves were investigated in the present study. Two purified polysaccharide fractions, CALP-1 and CALP-2, were isolated from crude Choerospondias axillaris leaf polysaccharides (CALP) by DEAE-52 cellulose chromatography and Sephadex G-100 column chromatography. The characteristics of CAL-1 and CALP-2 were determined by using High-performance Gel Permeation Chromatography (HPGPC), High-Performance Anion-Exchange Chromatography, HPAEC (HPAEC-PAD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). CALP-1 with molecular weight of 11.20 KDa was comprised of Rhamnose, Arabinose, Galactose, Glucose, Xylose, Mannose and galacturonic acid in a molar ratio of 5.16:2.31:5.50:27.18:1.00:0.76:1.07. CAL-2 with molecular weight of 8.03 KDa consisted of Rhamnose, Arabinose, Galactose, Glucose, and galacturonic acid at a ratio of 1.38:3.63:18.84:8.28:1.45. FTIR revealed that CALP-1 and CALP-2 were acidic polysaccharides. The antioxidant activity of crude CALP, CALP-1 and CALP-2 was evaluated in vitro. The fraction CALP-2 was demonstrated to be of polysaccharide nature containing a large percentage of Galactose but no Xylose and Mannose. The antioxidant activity assays showed that CALP-1 and CALP-2 exhibited antioxidant and scavenging activities on hydroxyl and DPPH radicals in vitro. Compared with pure polysaccharide, crude CALP exhibited stronger anti-oxidant activities. These results will provide a better understanding of Choerospondias axillaris leaf polysaccharide and promote the potential applications of Choerospondias axillaris leaf polysaccharide in the pharmacological field and as a natural antioxidant.

Systematical Ingredient Investigations of Ficus tikoua Bur. Fruit and Immunoregulatory and Antioxidant Effects of Different Fractions.

Although the fruit of Ficus tikoua Bur. has been consumed by montanic people in China for centuries, its chemical and biological composition was still unclear. A series of comprehensive investigations on its chemical constituents and bioactivities were carried out for the first time. As a result, six compounds were isolated and identified as the main components in this fruit. GC-MS analysis of the lipid components demonstrated that Ficus tikoua Bur. fruit contains some wholesome constituents such as fatty acids, vitamins, triterpenoids, and phytosterols. The fatty acids are mainly composed of linolenic acid (61.27%) and linoleic acid (22.79%). Furthermore, this fruit contains a relative high content of crude protein (9.41 ± 0.03%), total amino acids (9.28%), and total polyphenols (0.86 ± 0.01 g/100 g). The analysis of monosaccharide composition showed that the total polysaccharide mainly consists of glucose, glucuronic acid, xylose, arabinose, mannose, galactose, galacturonic acid, and rhamnose. The polysaccharide, polyphenol, water, ethanol, and flavonoid extracts exhibited prominent antioxidant activity determined by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAPS methods. Meanwhile, the total polysaccharide exhibited significant immunomodulatory effect by enhancing the release of cytokines and expression of iNOS and COX-2 in RAW264.7 cells, significantly decreasing the expression of c-Jun and p65 proteins in the cytoplasm; increasing the translocation of c-Jun and p65 to the nucleus; and regulating the phosphorylation level of Akt, PI3K, and PDK1 in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This study proved that the fruit of F. tikoua is a reliable source of functional food.

Physicochemical Characterization of a Fern Polysaccharide from Alsophila spinulosa Leaf and Its Anti-Aging Activity in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Alsophila spinulosa, as a rare tree fern with potential medicinal value, has attracted extensive attention. Herein, the physicochemical properties, antioxidant and anti-aging activities of polysaccharide from A. spinulosa leaf (ALP) were investigated. ALP was composed of galactose, arabinose, glucose, rhamnose, galacturonic acid, mannose, and fucose. (1→), (1→6), and (1→2) bond types were the primary glycosidic bond in ALP. Surprisingly, ALP displayed the wonderful activity of antioxidant and anti-aging, including excellent scavenging ability against DPPH and ABTS radicals in vitro; prolonging the life span, improving activity of antioxidative enzymes (SOD and CAT), and decreasing the level of ROS, MDA in Caenorhabditis elegans. Meanwhile, ALP promoted DAF-16 to move into the nuclear. Overall, our results illustrated that ALP could be further developed as a functional food ingredient.

Hydration of Wheat Flour Water-Unextractable Cell Wall Material Enables Structural Analysis of Its Arabinoxylan by High-Resolution Solid-State 13C MAS NMR Spectroscopy.

To enable its structural characterization by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, the native structure of cereal water-unextractable arabinoxylan (WU-AX) is typically disrupted by alkali or enzymatic treatments. Here, WU-AX in the wheat flour unextractable cell wall material (UCWM) containing 40.9% ± 1.5 arabinoxylan with an arabinose-to-xylose ratio of 0.62 ± 0.04 was characterized by high-resolution solid-state NMR without disrupting its native structure. Hydration of the UCWM (1.7 mg H2O/mg UCWM) in combination with specific optimizations in the NMR methodology enabled analysis by solid-state 13C NMR with magic angle spinning and 1H high-power decoupling (13C HPDEC MAS NMR) which provided sufficiently high resolution to allow for carbon atom assignments. Spectral resonances of C-1 from arabinose and xylose residues of WU-AX were here assigned to the solid state. The proportions of un-, mono-, and di-substituted xyloses were 59.2, 19.5, and 21.2%, respectively. 13C HPDEC MAS NMR showed the presence of solid-state fractions with different mobilities in the UCWM. This study presents the first solid-state NMR spectrum of wheat WU-AX with sufficient resolution to enable assignment without prior WU-AX solubilization.

Feasibility study on the use of ATR-FTIR spectroscopy as a tool for the estimation of wine polysaccharides.

Polysaccharides are the main macromolecules of colloidal nature in wines. These compounds play a critical role in stabilizing other molecules in solution and thus modifying the wine processing and organoleptic properties. Different analytical techniques have been proposed for their determination. However, most of them are complicated and time-consuming. To overcome these drawbacks, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) has been evaluated in this study for the estimation of wine polysaccharides in a fast and non-destructive way. Spectral data have been correlated with wine polysaccharide contents by modified partial least squares regression (MPLS) using different spectral pretreatments. MPLS models developed have revealed the potential of FTIR analysis for the routine screening of polysaccharides rich in arabinose and galactose (PRAG), rhamnogalacturonans types II (RG-II), mannoproteins (MP) and total soluble polysaccharides (TSP) in wine samples, obtaining standard errors of prediction from 6.07 to 8.44%. Monitoring the wine polysaccharides can assist in the elaboration of the wines according to their requirements and improving quality to satisfy consumer preferences.

Effect of oximation reagents on gas chromatographic separation of eight different kinds of mono- and di-saccharides.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of oximation reagents in simultaneous analysis of mono and di-saccharides using gas chromatography. Sugar oximation with O-ethylhydroxylamine separated all the mono- and di-saccharides while hydroxylamine and O-benzylhydroxylamine could make most of the saccharides separable except for xylose and arabinose. Resolution of xylose: arabinose, galactose: glucose, and fructose: galactose oximated by O-ethylhydroxylamine in DB-1ms column were 1.66, 2.15, and 6.19, respectively, which were above 1.5 and were officially acceptable for quantitative analysis according to the AOAC guideline. The applied method was then verified by the method validation parameters; LOD (0.011-0.02 mg/100 g), LOQ (0.032-0.061 mg/100 g), linearity (R2 = 0.9991-1.0000) and precision (repeatability RSD: 1.4-3.3%, reproducibility RSD: 1.7-7.6%). The greatest amounts of xylose (19.03 ± 0.38 mg/100 g), maltose (6,274.48 ± 173.59 mg/100 g) were found in the oyster sauce, and the contents of glucose (10,565.00 ± 125.31 mg/100 g), galactose (170.40 ± 4.62 mg/100 g) were greatest in soybean paste.

Differential pulp cell wall structures lead to diverse fruit textures in apple (Malus domestica).

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the effect of pulp cell wall structure on fruit hardness and crispness in apples. To this end, we studied the cell wall polysaccharides in two apple varieties, "Hanfu" and "Honeycrisp," during fruit development. Compared with Hanfu, the crispness of Honeycrisp was higher, whereas its harness was lower. The intensity and distribution of immunofluorescence signals indicated that galactose and arabinose contributed to the higher hardness of Hanfu, whereas arabinose, egg-box structure, and fucosylated xyloglucans, distributed in the corners of tricellular junctions, enhanced the cell-cell adhesion and improved the crispness of Honeycrisp. Besides, fucosylated xyloglucan played an important role in promoting the formation and maintaining the strength of the cell wall skeleton and, consequently, retaining the fruit crispness. The esterification state of pectin had little effect on the fruit hardness and crispness in both varieties. Collectively, our findings provided information on the underlying mechanism of fruit texture formation in apples.

Enzymatic extraction of pectic oligosaccharides from finger citron (Citrus medica L. var. sarcodactylis Swingle) pomace with antioxidant potential.

Finger citron pomace is a cheap and renewable by-product of the citrus processing industry, representing up to 60% of the fruit biomass. In this study, a pectinase-based and ultrasonic-assisted method was firstly used to extract pectic oligosaccharides (POS) from finger citron pomace. Using the orthogonal experiment design (OED), the maximum conversion rate of up to 64.5% from pomace to POS was obtained under the extraction conditions of 0.25 mg mL-1 pectinase and 50 mg mL-1 pectin at 45 °C and pH 4.5 for 2 h. The extracted POS was then fractionated and purified to homogeneous oligosaccharides (FCPOS-1) with a molecular weight of 2.15 kDa, and the analyses of monosaccharide composition, FTIR, NMR and ESI-MS indicated that FCPOS-1 consisted of GalA and a small amount of mannose, galactose and arabinose. Multiple antioxidant activity assays in vitro revealed that FCPOS-1 possessed remarkable antioxidant properties, especially scavenging activity against DPPH radicals up to 94.07%. FCPOS-1 has the potential to be an effective natural antioxidant for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries.

Extraction optimization and structural characterization of pectin from persimmon fruit (Diospyros kaki Thunb. var. Rojo brillante).

In this work we have efficiently extracted and characterized pectin from different tissues of astringent (AS) and non-astringent (NAS) persimmon fruits (peel, pulp, whole fruit) for the first time. The highest pectin extraction (≥7.2%) was carried out at 80 °C, 120 min with 1.5% sodium citrate in peel of both AS and NAS persimmon samples. All persimmon pectins showed a molecular weight and galacturonic acid content upper than 328 kDa and 78%, respectively, indicating their suitability as food ingredient. Pectin extracted from AS pulp and peel tissues exhibited an enriched structure in rhamnose and arabinose, whereas the opposite behavior was observed in NAS persimmon whole fruit samples. Remarkably, both pulp tissues (AS and NAS) presented the highest levels of glucose and mannose, non-pectic carbohydrates. In addition, techno-functional assessment (zeta potential, particle size, apparent viscosity, gelation) showed the suitability of the persimmon pectins for a broad range of industrial applications.

Prebiotic potential and chemical characterization of the poly and oligosaccharides present in the mucilage of Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia joconostle.

The mucilage extracted from the convection-dried cladodes of O. ficus-indica and O. joconostle, two species of economic importance, delivered three fractions after methanol precipitation. Two were composed of high molar mass polysaccharides, and one included water-soluble mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides. The large polysaccharides have a molar mass range of 4.0 × 103 to 8.0 × 105 g·mol-1 and are consistently composed of galactose, arabinose, xylose, and rhamnose; however, the content of galacturonic acid was different between both fractions and species. Their fermentability by selected probiotics was relatively low, 11-27 % compared to glucose, and decreased with increasing levels of galacturonic acid in the molecules. In the third fraction, previously unreported oligosaccharides were found. These include simple- and complex-structured galactooligosaccharides with arabinosyl-, xylosyl- and galacturonosyl acid residues. Their fermentability by prebiotic species can be ascribed more to their structural characteristics and monosaccharide composition than their molecular dimensions.

Structure elucidation of arabinogalactoglucan isolated from Sedum sarmentosum Bunge and its inhibition on hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro.

Sedum sarmentosum Bunge (SS) is clinically used as Chinese medicine for hepatitis related diseases treatment. The purpose of this study was to explore the chemical structures of polysaccharides from this plant. A neutral polysaccharide (SSWP) was isolated and purified by ion-exchange chromatography and Superdex-75 column. The obtained SSWP was a homogenous one with a molecular weight of 21.5 kDa according to the high-performance gel permeation chromatography. The major monosaccharide composition of SSWP was arabinose, glucose and galactose in a molar ratio of 2.4:1:1.8. The methylation analysis showed that SSWP consists mainly of Araf-(1→, →5)-Araf-(1→, →3,5)-Araf-(1→, →4)-Galp-(1→, →4)-Glcp-(1→. The NMR result and enzymatic digestion data comprehensively indicated that SSWP was a novel arabinogalactoglucan-type structure. The anticancer assay in vitro exhibited that SSWP could effectively inhibit 48.9% of Huh-7 cells growth at 50 µg/mL and arrest cells at S-phase, and induce tumor cells apoptosis. Together, polysaccharide from S. sarmentosum Bunge could be a potential natural antitumor agent.

Structural characteristics and enhanced biological activities of partially degraded arabinogalactan from larch sawdust.

Larch arabinogalactan (AG), extracted from Larix gmelinii sawdust, was depolymerized by H2O2 oxidation and purified by gel column to yield a novel degraded fraction (AGD2). The structural analysis indicated AGD2 had lower arabinose content and molecular weight compared with AG, in which the ratio of galactose and arabinose was changed from 7:3 to 16:1, the molecular weight was decreased from 50.2 kDa to 3.7 kDa, and the chain conformation spread from highly branched structure to flexible strand. It was one kind of ß-D-(1 â†’ 3)-galactan with fewer ß-D-(1 â†’ 6)-Galp side branches at O-6 position. Further, the results of the Gal-3 binding and immunomodulatory assay suggested that the unbinding force of AGD2 onto Gal-3 was as twice as AG to be 76 ± 11 pN at the loading rate of 0.15 µm/s. It could better promote the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß) than AG in a dose-dependent manner.

96-Well Microtiter Plate Made of Paper: A Printed Chemosensor Array for Quantitative Detection of Saccharides.

Simple, rapid, and accurate detection methods for saccharides are potentially applicable to various fields such as clinical and food chemistry. However, the practical applications of on-site analytical methods are still limited. To this end, herein, we propose a 96-well microtiter plate made of paper as a paper-based chemosensor array device (PCSAD) for the simultaneous classification of 12 saccharides and the quantification of fructose and glucose among 12 saccharides. The mechanism of the saccharide detection relied on an indicator displacement assay (IDA) on the PCSAD using four types of catechol dyes, 3-nitrophenylboronic acid, and the saccharides. The design of the PCSAD and the experimental conditions for the IDA were optimized using a central composite design. The chemosensors exhibited clear color changes upon the addition of saccharides on the paper because of the competitive boronate esterification. The color changes were employed for the subsequent qualitative, semiquantitative, and quantitative analyses using an automated algorithm combined with pattern recognition for digital images. A qualitative linear discrimination analysis offered discrimination of 12 saccharides with a 100% classification rate. The semiquantitative analysis of fructose in the presence of glucose was carried out from the viewpoint of food analysis utilizing a support vector machine, resulting in clear discrimination of the various concentrations of fructose. Most importantly, the quantitative detection of fructose in two types of commercial soft drinks was also successfully carried out without sample pretreatments. Thus, the proposed PCSAD can be a powerful method for on-site food analyses that can meet the increasing demand from consumers for sensors of saccharides.

Structure, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activity of a polysaccharide extracted from Sacha inchi seeds.

In this study, a novel water-soluble polysaccharide (PVLP-1) was extracted and purified from Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis L.) seeds and the structure, antioxidant and immunomodulatory activity of PVLP-1 were investigated. PVLP-1 (144 kDa) consisted of glucose (69.76%), mannose (14.86%), arabinose (10.53%), galactose (2.42%), ribose (1.23%), rhamnose (0.27%) and xylose (0.93%). PVLP-1 displayed characteristic polysaccharide bands in Fourier transform NMR spectra and infrared. The primary structure of PVLP-1 was a heteropolysaccharide with a backbone of (1 â†’ 6)-linked glucose, sidechains of (1 â†’ 4)-linked mannose, (1 â†’ 4)-linked glucose and (1 â†’ 3, 6)-linked mannose and a residue unit of →1)-linked arabinose as revealed the methylation analysis. PVLP-1 possessed good water-holding capacity (WHC), oil-holding capacity (OHC) and antioxidant capacities. Besides, PVLP-1 induced the proliferation of RAW264.7 cell and enhanced the expression of inflammatory cytokines IL-6, TNF-alpha(TNF-α) and IL-1 beta (IL-1ß). The present study indicated that PVLP-1 possessed immune-enhancing bioactivities and could be functional food or adjuvant drug to improve biological immunity of immunodeficiency diseases and hypoimmunity.

Characterization of a polysaccharide from Eupolyphaga sinensis walker and its effective antitumor activity via lymphocyte activation.

A polysaccharide (ESPS) purified from Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker by ion exchange chromatography and gel chromatography was investigated, including its structure characterization and antitumor activity. The results showed that ESPS was composed of rhamnose, fucose, arabinose, xylose, glucose, and galactose in a molar ratio of 7.4: 3.1: 13.9: 9.3: 39.7: 26.5, with the mean weight (Mw) of 2.14 × 104Da; the main chain of ESPS was mainly composed of → 4) - α - D - Glcp - (1 â†’ and → 3) - ß - D - Galp - (1 →, and the side chains were connected to the main chain through the O-6 atom of glucose and O-4 and O-6 atom of galactose. In addition, ESPS promoted the lymphocyte proliferation and inhibited liver cancer cells growth through enhancing lymphocyte activity in vitro, mainly NK cells. Moreover, ESPS markedly stimulated immunity in H22-bearing mice by increasing the spleen and thymus indices and effectively inhibited H22 cell growth in vivo. These data indicated that ESPS was a polysaccharide component possessing high anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity, representing a potential immunotherapy candidate for the treatment of liver cancer.