Immunostimulating Activity and Characterization of Polysaccharides from Mycelium of Phellinus linteus

Hot-water extract, Fr. 1, of Phellinus linteus mycelium was fractionated into Fr. 2, 3, 4, and 5 by the difference of solubility in ethanol. The polysaccharide fractions were studied for their immunostimulating activity on in vitro T-independent polyc1onal antibody response to trinitrophenyl-haptened SRBC (sheep red blood cell). The Fr. 4 with the highest immunostimulating activity was subjected to DEAE-cellulose ion exchange chromatography and gave five fractions, 4-I, II, III, IV, and V. The in vitro immunostimulating assay of the five fractions showed that 4-I and 4-III had a similar activity to that of LPS but the other fractions had low activity. By analyses of chemical composition and HPLC, all fractions obtained were found to be heteropolysaccharide-protein complex. The molecular weights ranged from 9, 000 to 15, 000. Sugar analyses showed that glucose, galactose, mannose, arabinose, and xylose were main component. Uronic acid and amino sugar were also detected in the fractions. It should be noted that the molecular weight (15, 000) of 4-III was very small and the structure of 4-III may be different from the known immunostimulating branched $\beta$-(1longrightarrow3)-glucan.