Category Archives: Medical Studies

Medical Studies

Requirement for a growth substrate during lignin decomposition by two wood-rotting fungi.

Kirk TK, Connors WJ, Zeikus JG.

Forest Products Laboratory, Forest Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Madison, Wisconsin 53705.

Abstract

Decomposition of C-labeled lignin to CO(2) by the lignin-decomposing fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Coriolus versicolor required a growth substrate such as cellulose or glucose. Growth with lignin as sole carbon addition to an otherwise complete medium was negligible.

PMID: 16345166 [PubMed]PMCID: PMC170029

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16345166

in vitro, Medical Studies, PSK

Blastoid transformation of human lymphocytes cultured with protein-bound polysaccharide preparation, PS-K, in vitro.

Ohno R, Yokomaku S, Wakayama K, Sugiura S, Yamada K.

Abstract

The protein-bound polysaccharide preparation, PS-K, isolated from a mushroom, Coriolus versicolor, was found to stimulate human lymphocytes and induce them into blastogenesis in vitro. This stimulatory effect seemed to be nonspecific since lymphocytes from cord blood of newborn babies were also stimulated by PS-K. The highest lymphocyte blastogenesis by PS-K was observed after 5 days in culture.

PMID: 1017585 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1017585

Leukemia, Medical Studies

Enhanced induction of immune resistance by concanavalin A-bound L1210 vaccine and an immunopotentiator prepared from Coriolus versicolor.

Kataoka T, Oh-hashi F, Tsukagoshi S, Sakurai Y.

Abstract

Combined administration of a vaccine consisting of a small number (2 X 10(6)) of L1210 murine leukemic cells treated with glutaraldehyde and concanavalin A and a protein-bound polysaccharide preparation of Coriolus versicolor induced synergistic resistance to L1210 leukemia in BALB/c X DBA/2CrF1 mice. This effect was dependent on the dose and timing of the administration of the protein-bound polysaccharide preparation, being most effective at the time of or 1 day after the second vaccination. Induced resistance was not cross-reactive with P388 murine leukemia, indicating specificity of resistance. This immunopotentiation by the protein-bound polysaccharide did not occur when L1210 cells treated with glutaraldehyde, but not with concanavalin A, were used as a vaccine.

PMID: 922733 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]Free Article

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/922733

Medical Studies

Induction of laccase in Basidiomycetes: the laccase-coding messenger.

Leonowicz A, Trojanowski J.

Abstract

Formation of the mRNA specific for the inducible forms of laccase was evidenced in Coriolus versicolor, Pleurotus ostreatus and Pholiota mutabilis. The half-life time of these mRNAs in the fungi species studied were, respectively, 30, 37 and 24 min. Molecular weight of the newly synthesized mRNA in Pleurotus ostreatus was about 4.5X10(5), consistently with the size of the inducible laccase protein. The polysome obtained from the ferulic acid-treated mycelium, synthesized in vitro a polypeptide with the electrophoretic mobility similar to that of laccase.

PMID: 103348 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/103348

in vitro, Medical Studies, PSK

The effect of a protein-bound polysaccharide from Coriolus versicolor on immunological parameters and experimental infections in mice.

Mayer P, Drews J.

Abstract

The influence of PSK, a protein bound polysaccharide from Coriolus versicolor on various immunological parameters was studied, PSK was found to enhance B cell activity as measured by the spleen plaque-forming cell assay in mice, and to stimulate mouse macrophages as determined by an enhancement of carbon clearance and an increase in the phagocytosis of opsonized sheep red blood cells by peritoneal mouse macrophages in vitro. The activation of mouse macrophages by PSK appeared to correlate with the therapeutic effects of the compound. In mice made granulocytopenic with cyclophosphamide and subsequently infected with a variety of garm-negative pathogens or with Candida albicans, PSK prolonged the average survival time of the animals. The compound also led to a drastic increase in the number of animals surviving such experimental infections as compared to untreated controls. Possible mechanisms responsible for these protective effects by PSK are discussed.

PMID: 6966256 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6966256

Medical Studies

Studies on antitumor polysaccharides, especially D-II, from mycelium of Coriolus versicolor.

Sugiura M, Ohno H, Kunihisa M, Hirata F, Ito H.

Abstract

A water-soluble polysaccharide, D-II with marked antitumor activity was isolated from the cultured mycelium of Coriolus versicolor by extraction with hot-water, fractional precipitation with ethanol and ion-exchange chromatography. D-II strongly inhibited the growth of Sarcoma-180 transplanted subcutaneously in mice by intraperitoneal, intravenous, subcutaneous or intra-muscular administration at a dose of 5 mg/kg. the molecular weight was estimated to be 2,000,000 by gel-filtration or 6,500,000 by light scattering analysis. The chemical structure of D-II was then investigated by periodate oxidation, methylation analysis, Smith degradation, and a combination of controlled Smith degradation and methylation analysis. These studies proposed that D-II is composed of a unit structure of four D-glucose residues, and is a glucan consisting of beta-D-1,3-linked main chain in which one for every three D-glucose residues is branched at C-6 with beta-D-1,6-linkage.

PMID: 7206362 [PubMed – indexed for MEDLINE]

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7206362