A significant immunomodulating activity was found in the hot-water-soluble extract of the most popular edible seaweed in Japan, Laminaria japonica (Makonbu in Japanese) which showed an enhancing activity for DNA synthesis of spleen cells from endotoxin-nonresponder, C3H/HeJ mice. This activity was divided into polysaccharide and non-polysaccharide fractions and the former fraction exhibited much higher activity than that of the latter fraction. The polysaccharide fraction caused stimulatory effects on the ingestive activity of mouse phagocytic cells against Staphylococcus aureus and the release of cytokines, interleukin-1α and tumour necrosis factor α from the same cells. Furthermore, the polysaccharide fraction exhibited enhancing effects on polyclonal antibody (IgM and IgG) production in spleen cells. These immunomodulating activities were associated with polysaccharides themselves, but not contaminating endotoxins in the fraction judged by comparative experiments. The significance of this finding is discussed from the viewpoint of the immunopotentiation by edible seaweeds in host animals.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Okai et al. (1996) studied this question.