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. 2019 Mar 18;17(3):175.
doi: 10.3390/md17030175.

Dietary Supplementation with Low-Molecular-Weight Fucoidan Enhances Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses and Protects against Mycoplasma pneumoniae Antigen Stimulation

Pai-An Hwang  1 , Hong-Ting Victor Lin  2 , Hsin-Yuan Lin  3 , Szu-Kuan Lo  4
Affiliations

Dietary Supplementation with Low-Molecular-Weight Fucoidan Enhances Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses and Protects against Mycoplasma pneumoniae Antigen Stimulation

Pai-An Hwang et al. Mar Drugs. .

Abstract

In this study, the low-molecular-weight (LMW) fucoidan, rich in fucose and sulfate, was extracted and purified from the edible brown seaweed, Laminaria japonica. In this study, we orally administered LMW fucoidan to mice for 6 weeks. We then examined fucoidan's effects on innate immunity, adaptive immunity, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP)-antigen-stimulated immune responses. Our data showed that LMW fucoidan stimulated the innate immune system by increasing splenocyte proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell activity, and phagocytic activity. LMW fucoidan also increased interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, and interferon (IFN)-γ secretion by splenocytes and immunoglobulin (Ig)-G and IgA content in serum, which help regulate adaptive immune cell functions, and decreased allergen-specific IgE. In MP-antigen-stimulated immune responses, the IgM and IgG content in the serum were significantly higher in the LMW fucoidan group after MP-antigen stimulation. Our study provides further information about the immunomodulatory effects of LMW fucoidan and highlights a potential role in preventing M. pneumoniae infection.

Keywords: Mycoplasma pneumoniae; NK cell; adjuvant; antigen-specific antibody; low molecular weight fucoidan.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Fractionation of crude fucoidan isolated from the L. japonica on a DEAE (Diethylaminoethyl)-Sephadex A-25 column.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The spleen-to-body-weight ratios of mice treated with low-molecular-weight (LMW) fucoidan for 6 weeks. Spleen-to-body-weight ratio = [spleen weight (g)/body weight (g)] × 100%. Data were expressed as mean ± SD of ten mice.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The spleen-to-body-weight ratios of ovalbumin (OVA)-immunized mice treated with LMW fucoidan for 6 weeks. Spleen-to-body-weight ratio = [spleen weight (g)/body weight (g)] × 100%. Data were expressed as mean ± SD of ten mice. Means with asterisks were significantly different from the control (p < 0.05).
Figure 4
Figure 4
The IgM (A), IgG (B), and IgA (C) productions of Mycoplasma pneumoniae (MP) antigen-inoculated mice treated with 600 mg/kg LMW fucoidan for 6 weeks. Data were expressed as mean ± SD of ten mice. Values are expressed as mean ± SD. Means with asterisk were significantly different from the other groups (p < 0.05).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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