Effect of Polysaccharides from Fresh Persimmon (<i>Diospyros kaki</i>) Fruits and its Sulfated Derivates on the Immunomodulatory Activity of Mouse Peritoneal Macrophage Cells

The effects of polysaccharides extracted from persimmon (Diospyros kaki) fruits (PFP) and its sulfated derivates (PFP-S) on activity of mouse peritoneal macrophages (PM) were evaluated by measuring their effects on the viability, nitric oxide (NO) production, cytokine (TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-2) production and gene expression. The results showed that both PFP and PFP-S significantly increased the viability and the productions of NO, TNF-α and IL-10 with the increase of the substitution degree (DS) and dose. Of the fractions, PFP-SIII (DS 2.5, Mw 48kDa) was the most potent inducer of NO and cytokine production, increasing production of NO and expression of cytokines (IL-10 and TNF-α). It was supposed from this result that PFP-S might act as an inducer of macrophage functions against pathogens, which might be affected by the sulfate content of polysaccharides made great role in regulate of immunomodulatory activities.