Hirsutella sinensis polysaccharides and Parabacteroides goldsteinii reduce lupus severity in imiquimod-treated mice

Shih-Hsin Chang; Yun-Fei Ko; Jian-Ching Liau; Cheng-Yeu Wu; Tsong-Long Hwang; David M Ojcius; John D Young; Jan Martel

doi:10.1016/j.bj.2024.100754

Hirsutella sinensis polysaccharides and Parabacteroides goldsteinii reduce lupus severity in imiquimod-treated mice

Biomed J. 2024 Jun 18:100754. doi: 10.1016/j.bj.2024.100754. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Shih-Hsin Chang¹, Yun-Fei Ko², Jian-Ching Liau³, Cheng-Yeu Wu⁴, Tsong-Long Hwang⁵, David M Ojcius⁶, John D Young³, Jan Martel⁷

Affiliations

¹ Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
² Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan; Biochemical Engineering Research Center, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
³ Chang Gung Biotechnology Corporation, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁴ Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
⁵ Graduate Institute of Natural Products, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Research Center for Chinese Herbal Medicine, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Health Industry Technology, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Anesthesiology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
⁶ Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Chang Gung Immunology Consortium, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan, Taiwan; Department of Biomedical Sciences, Arthur Dugoni School of Dentistry, University of the Pacific, San Francisco, CA, USA.
⁷ Center for Molecular and Clinical Immunology, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan, Taiwan. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 38901796
DOI: 10.1016/j.bj.2024.100754

Abstract

Background: The incidence of autoimmune diseases is increasing in developed countries, possibly due to the modern Western diet and lifestyle. We showed earlier that polysaccharides derived from the medicinal fungus Hirsutella sinensis produced anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects by modulating the gut microbiota and increasing the abundance of the commensal Parabacteroides goldsteinii in mice fed with a high-fat diet.

Methods: We examined the effects of the prebiotics, H. sinensis polysaccharides, and probiotic, P. goldsteinii, in a mouse model of imiquimod-induced systemic lupus erythematosus.

Results: The fungal polysaccharides and P. goldsteinii reduced markers of lupus severity, including the increase of spleen weight, proteinuria, and serum levels of anti-DNA auto-antibodies and signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4). Moreover, the polysaccharides and P. goldsteinii improved markers of kidney and liver functions such as creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, glomerulus damage and fibrosis, and serum liver enzymes. However, the prebiotics and probiotics did not influence gut microbiota composition, colonic histology, or expression of tight junction proteins in colon tissues.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that H. sinensis polysaccharides and the probiotic P. goldsteinii can reduce lupus markers in imiquimod-treated mice. These prebiotics and probiotics may therefore be added to other interventions conducive of a healthy lifestyle in order to counter autoimmune diseases.

Keywords: Gut microbiota; prebiotics; probiotics; systemic lupus erythematosus.