POLYSACCHARIDE-PEPTIDE COMPLEXES FROM THE CULTURED MYCELIA OF THE MUSHROOM CORIOLUS-VERSICOLOR AND THEIR CULTURE-MEDIUM ACTIVATE MOUSE LYMPHOCYTES AND MACROPHAGES

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the mushroom C oriolus versicolor on cells of the immune system, The cultured mycelia of the mushroom Coriolus versicolor and their culture medium were sep arately extracted with boiling water. The resulting polysaccharopeptid e preparations were designated intramycelial (IM) and extramycelial ma terials (EM), and were separated by gel filtration before determining their effects on lymphocytes and macrophages in vitro and in vivo. Aft er gel filtration on Sepharose 6B, only a single peak with a molecular weight of 13-19 KDa was obtained, Gel filtration of IM and EM on Seph adex G-50 revealed the presence of a larger peak of 28 KDa (from TM) a nd 15 KDa (from EM) and a smaller peak of 3.5 KDa, IM, EM and their la rge molecular peaks enhanced the mitogenic response of T-cells from BA LB/c mice in vitro. Splenocytes from C57BL/6 mice pre-treated by force -feeding with IM and EM demonstrated an augmented mitogenic response t o Con A, The macrophages of C57BL/6 mice that had been pre-treated wit h IM or EM showed an enhanced production of nitrite ions, The results indicate that both mouse lymphocytes and macrophages were activated by preparations of polysaccharopeptide from cultured mycelia and culture medium of C. versicolor. However, no direct cytotoxic activity agains t fibroblasts, hepatoma cells and choriocarcinoma cells could be demon strated. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.