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Salinity-Induced Anti-Angiogenesis Activities and Structural Changes of the Polysaccharides from Cultured Cordyceps militaris

Summary

This research shows that adding salt to the growth environment of cultured medicinal mushroom Cordyceps militaris changes the structure and function of its beneficial polysaccharides. The findings help explain how to make lab-grown Cordyceps potentially as potent as wild specimens that grow naturally in caterpillar bodies. Impacts on everyday life: • Provides a way to make more effective and affordable medicinal mushroom supplements • Demonstrates how environmental conditions affect medicinal properties of fungi • Could lead to new natural anti-cancer treatments • Helps preserve endangered wild Cordyceps species by improving cultivation methods • Shows potential for developing novel pharmaceutical products from fungi

Background

Cordyceps is a rare and exotic mushroom that grows out of mummified caterpillar heads in the Tibetan Plateau and Himalayas. Due to increased demand for its medicinal applications, many companies are cultivating Cordyceps. However, reproducing the structures and functions of its polysaccharides, which are key pharmaceutical active ingredients, has been challenging in vitro.

Objective

To investigate if mimicking the salty environment inside caterpillar bodies could make cultured Cordyceps militaris synthesize polysaccharides with similar structures and functions to wild Cordyceps. The study aimed to examine salinity-induced anti-angiogenesis activities and structural changes in polysaccharides purified from cultured C. militaris.

Results

Adding salts to C. militaris cultures induced significant anti-angiogenic activities in the purified polysaccharides, with higher salt concentrations showing stronger effects. Structural analysis revealed profound changes including different proportions of α and β glycosidic bonds and the appearance of uronic acid signals. For the first time, the presence of covalently linked sulfate and polygalacturonic acids was detected in polysaccharides from salt-treated cultures. The polysaccharides inhibited HUVEC tube formation and migration by down-regulating VEGF expression.

Conclusion

Culturing C. militaris with added salts fundamentally changed the polysaccharide biosynthetic scheme, resulting in novel structures and enhanced anti-angiogenic functions. These findings provide insight into how to potentially make cultured C. militaris match or exceed the potency of wild Cordyceps through environmental manipulation.
  • Published in:PLoS One,
  • Study Type:Laboratory Research,
  • Source: 10.1371/journal.pone.0103880
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