B-lymphocyte-stimulating polysaccharide from mushroom Phellinus linteus.

Hot water extract prepared from the mycelial culture of mushroom Phellinus linteus stimulated polyclonal antibody production in an in vitro culture system. The active fraction PLP was purified from the extract ca. 1030-fold by ethanol precipitation followed by DEAE-cellulose and gel permeation chromatography. PLP contained 13.2% (w/w) peptide and 82.5% (w/w) carbohydrate. About 6.8% (w/w) of the total carbohydrate was uronic acid. The molecular weight distribution of PLP was found to be nearly homogeneous (153 kDa) in gel permeation HPLC analysis. Neutral sugar composition analysis revealed Ara (7.5%), Xyl (3.7%), Glc (21.1%), Gal (24.1%) and Man (44.2%). Uronic acid was identified as a glucuronic acid by gas chromatography. Ten amino acids were detected and Asp and Glu were the major components. In our assay system, the half-maximal concentration of PLP for B-lymphocyte stimulation was ca. 3 micrograms/ml. Partial acid hydrolysis as well as sodium periodate treatment of PLP decreased the activity significantly, suggesting that both the full molecular size and the sugar moiety were essential. However, proteinase K treatment for up to 48 h did not affect the activity.