A low-molecular-weight α-glucan from edible fungus Agaricus blazei Murrill activates macrophage TFEB-mediated antibacterial defense to combat implant-associated infection

Carbohydr Polym. 2024 Dec 15:346:122659. doi: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2024.122659. Epub 2024 Aug 26.

Abstract

Implant-associated infection (IAI) is a prevalent and potentially fatal complication of orthopaedic surgery. Boosting antibacterial immunity, particularly the macrophage-mediated response, presents a promising therapeutic approach for managing persistent infections. In this study, we successfully isolated and purified a homogeneous and neutral water-soluble polysaccharide, designated as AM-1, from the edible fungus Agaricus blazei Murrill. Structure analysis revealed that AM-1 (Mw = 3.87 kDa) was a low-molecular-weight glucan characterized by a primary chain of →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1 → and side chains that were linked at the O-6 and O-3 positions. In vivo assays showed that AM-1 effectively attenuated the progression of infection and mitigated infectious bone destruction in IAI mouse models. Mechanistically, AM-1 promotes intracellular autophagy-lysosomal biogenesis by inducing the nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB, finally enhancing the bactericidal capabilities and immune-modulatory functions of macrophages. These findings demonstrate that AM-1 significantly alleviates the progression of challenging IAIs as a presurgical immunoenhancer. Our research introduces a novel therapeutic strategy that employs natural polysaccharides to combat refractory infections.

Keywords: Agaricus blazei Murrill polysaccharide; Antibacterial immunity; Implant-associated infection; Macrophage; TFEB.

MeSH terms

  • Agaricus* / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Autophagy / drug effects
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • Glucans* / chemistry
  • Glucans* / pharmacology
  • Macrophages* / drug effects
  • Macrophages* / immunology
  • Macrophages* / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Weight
  • Prosthesis-Related Infections / drug therapy
  • RAW 264.7 Cells

Substances

  • Glucans
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Tcfeb protein, mouse
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors