Effects of the exopolysaccharide fraction (EPSF) from a cultivated Cordyceps sinensis on immunocytes of H22 tumor bearing mice

In order to explore the effects of exopolysaccharide fraction (EPSF) from one of the anamorph strains of Cordyceps sinensis on immunocyte activity of H22 tumor bearing mice, ICR mice were treated with EPSF for 7 days by intraperitoneal injection at doses of 15 mg/kg (low-dose), 30 mg/kg (mid-dose) and 60 mg/kg (high-dose) after H22 tumor cells were implanted. At the end of the experiments, the tumor weight of each mouse was measured. Phagocytosis of mouse peritoneal macrophages was tested by neutral red uptake. The TNF-α expression of macrophages was assayed by ELISA. Proliferation ability and cytotoxicity of spleen lymphocytes were determined by MTT methods. The mRNA levels of cytokine TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA of spleen lymphocytes were detected by RT-PCR. The results indicated that EPSF not only significantly inhibited the H22 tumor growth, but also significantly elevated immunocytes' activity. It significantly enhanced the phagocytosis capacity of peritoneal macrophages and proliferation ability of spleen lymphocytes at all the three doses; it significantly promoted macrophages' TNF-α expression and spleen lymphocytes' cytotoxicity. EPSF also significantly elevated TNF-α and IFN-γ mRNA expression of splenic lymphocytes. This experimental finding suggests that EPSF could elevate the immunocytes' activity in H22 tumor bearing mice.