A glucose-containing polysaccharide from Lycii fructus: Structural characterization and immunomodulatory activities in vitro and in vivo

  • Int J Biol Macromol. 2026 May:360:151909. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151909.
Xiaofei Liang  1 ,  Junpeng Wang  2 ,  Jialun Duan  3 ,  Jian Xiao  4 ,  Xiaoling Wang  5 ,  Hongjie Kang  6 ,  Sheng Guo  7 ,  Jin-Ao Duan  8
Affiliations
  • 1. State Key Laboratory of Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji, 721013, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 2. State Key Laboratory of Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 3. State Key Laboratory of Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 4. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji, 721013, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5. Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry, College of Chemistry and Materials Engineering, Baoji University of Arts and Sciences, Baoji, 721013, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 6. Ningxia Innovation Center of Goji R & D, Yinchuan, 750002, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 7. State Key Laboratory of Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry and Grassland Administration on Goji, Yinchuan, 750002, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 8. State Key Laboratory of Technologies for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process Control and Intelligent Manufacture, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41962718 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2026.151909
Abstract

The present work describes the isolation procedure and structural characterization of LFP-5, an immunomodulatory glucose-containing polysaccharide purified from Lycii fructus. Structural analysis revealed that LFP-5 consists of Rha:Ara:Xyl:Man:Glu:Gal with molar ratios of 2.01:7.32:6.30:10.03:60.14:14.21, and its primary structure consists of repeating units of 1,6-α-D-Glcp with multiple branching points in the branched chains at 1,4,6-α-D-Glcp,1,4,6-β-D-Manp, and 1,3,6-β-D-Galp. In vitro immunological assays revealed that LFP-5 stimulated the production of NO, IL-6, and TNF-α in RAW264.7 cells, an effect found to be mediated by the MAPK signaling pathway. LFP-5 counteracted the splenic functional impairment caused by cyclophosphamide in vivo, and its regulation of immune function in mice was linked to a favorable remodeling of the gut microbiota, evidenced by an increase in probiotics like Akkermansia muciniphila, Lactobacillus reuteri, and, L. intestinalis, and a decrease in harmful genera such as Alistipes and Desulfovibrio fairfieldensis. Collectively, these findings elucidate the structural basis and multifaceted immunomodulatory mechanisms of LFP-5, contributing to the understanding of bioactive Polysaccharides from Lycii fructus.

Keywords
Immunomodulatory activity; Lycii fructus polysaccharide; Structural characterization.
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