Chemical composition and adjuvant properties of the macromolecules from cultivated Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma as an immunopotentiator

The study aims to investigate the constituents, adjuvant effects, and underlying mechanisms of purified polysaccharides from cultivated Cistanche deserticola (C. deserticola). Two macromolecules designated as CCDP-1 (26.5 kDa) and CCDP-2 (32.3 kDa) from C. deserticola were respectively identified as carbohydrate-lignin complexes with 44.1 % and 43.8 % lignin. CCDP-1 and CCDP-2 were composed of glucose, rhamnose, galactose, arabinose, and mannose respectively in the molar ratios of 7.22: 5.98:2.51:1.81:1.00 and 6.57:8.48:4.20:2.72:1.00. An in vitro experiment revealed that endotoxin-free CCDP-1 and CCDP-2 promoted splenocyte proliferation without cytotoxicity, but CCDP-2 induced dendritic cell (DC) maturation more efficiently than CCDP-1. An in vivo experiment suggested that CCDP-2 enhanced OVA-specific antibody production, antigen-specific T-cell activation, IFN-γ production, IL-4 production, and DC activation. Notably, CCDP-2 elicited a Th1-biased response. Mechanically, CCDP-2 upregulated CD40, CD80, CD86, and MHC II, facilitated allogeneic T-cell proliferation and Th1/Th2 cytokines, improved IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-6, and TNF-α production, and decreased endocytosis from DCs in vitro. Blocking assays indicated that TLR2 and TLR4 were the membrane receptor candidates of DCs. Western blot implied that CCDP-2 with the immune-enhancing activities were involved in the activation of MAPKs and NF-κB pathways in a dose-/time-related manner and could be employed as a more balanced Th1/Th2 adjuvant for vaccine exploitation.