Abstract
Polysaccharide (SJP) was extracted from Sea cucumber, Stichopus japonicas, and its immune-enhancing activities were evaluated in vivo immune-suppressed mice systems. Cyclophosphamide(CY)-treated mice were orally administrated with SJP according to different concentrations. The results showed that administration of SJP significantly increased spleen index without variation of the body weight, compared to only CY treatment group. The proliferation of splenic lymphocyte and NK activity was also stimulated by SJP. In addition, the oral administration of SJP up-regulated COX-2 and TLR-4 as well as cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α and IFN-γ, which are secreted from splenic lymphocytes in cyclophosphamide-treated mice. Moreover, our results showed that SJP stimulated macrophages via NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. These findings provided the potential use of SJP as an alternative means under immune-suppressed conditions, and furthermore can be utilized as a functional material for food and pharmaceutical industries.