Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide fraction alleviates skin inflammatory responses after fractional CO2 laser treatment

Fractional CO₂ laser is widely used in dermatological treatments; however, excessive local inflammatory responses frequently occur following treatment and may contribute to post-treatment complications, highlighting the importance of controlling cutaneous inflammation. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides have been reported to possess various pharmacological activities, including anti-inflammatory effects, but their role in laser-induced skin inflammation remains unclear. In this study, a guinea pig model of fractional CO₂ laser-induced skin inflammation was established, and a Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide fraction (GLP) was topically applied at different concentrations following laser treatment. Histopathological analysis showed reduced inflammatory cell infiltration after GLP treatment, with the greatest reduction observed in the 80 mg/mL group. RNA sequencing revealed that laser-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched in multiple inflammation-related pathways, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, IL-17, TNF, NF-κB, and Jak-STAT signaling pathways. Furthermore, exploratory transcriptomic analysis suggested that GLP treatment was associated with alterations in multiple inflammation-related pathways. In vitro experiments using lipopolysaccharide-stimulated HaCaT cells, fibroblasts, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells showed that GLP reduced the mRNA expression of several inflammation-related factors. Collectively, these findings provide evidence supporting the anti-inflammatory effects of GLP following fractional CO₂ laser treatment. Clinical trial number : Not applicable.