Acidic polysaccharide from corn silk: Structural & conformational properties and hepatoprotective activity

Yi Zhang; Lianmou Yao; Yanfang Liu; Bingjie Chen; Chunfang Wang; Kuijie Gong; Feng Wang; Yongjin Qiao

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123851

Acidic polysaccharide from corn silk: Structural & conformational properties and hepatoprotective activity

Int J Biol Macromol. 2023 May 1:236:123851. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123851. Epub 2023 Feb 28.

Authors

Yi Zhang¹, Lianmou Yao¹, Yanfang Liu², Bingjie Chen¹, Chunfang Wang¹, Kuijie Gong³, Feng Wang⁴, Yongjin Qiao⁵

Affiliations

¹ Research Center for Agricultural Products Preservation and Processing, Crop Breeding & Cultivation Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, PR China.
² Institute of Edible Fungi, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, PR China.
³ Crop Research Institute, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shandong 250100, PR China.
⁴ Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, PR China.
⁵ Research Center for Agricultural Products Preservation and Processing, Crop Breeding & Cultivation Research Institute, Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 201403, PR China. Electronic address: qiaoyongjin@hotmail.com.

PMID: 36863670
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.123851

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the structural characterization, conformational properties, and hepatoprotective activity of corn silk acidic polysaccharide (CSP-50E). CSP-50E with molecular weights of 1.93 × 10⁵ g/mol was composed of Gal, Glc, Rha, Ara, Xyl, Man and uronic acid with a weight ratio of 12:25:1:2:2:5:21. Structural analysis with methylation indicated that CSP-50E mainly contained T-Manp, 4-substituted-_D-Galp/GalpA, and 4-substituted-_D-Glcp. CSP-50E presented random coils conformation in an aqueous solution based on the analysis of HPSEC. In vitro experiments showed that CSP-50E exhibited significant hepatoprotective effects, CSP-50E reduce IL-6, TNF-α content, and AST, ALT activity to protect ethanol-induced damage liver cells (HL-7702), while the polysaccharide functioned mainly through the caspase cascade and mediate the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway. In this study, we describe a novel acidic polysaccharide from corn silk with hepatoprotective activity that facilitates the development and utilization of corn silk resources.

Keywords: Acidic polysaccharide; Conformational properties; Corn silk; HL-7702; Structural analysis.

MeSH terms

Ethanol
Humans
Polysaccharides* / chemistry
Polysaccharides* / pharmacology
Silk
Zea mays*

Substances

Polysaccharides
Ethanol
Silk