Immune activation by a sterile aqueous extract of Cordyceps sinensis: Mechanism of action

J. L. Jordan; A. M. Sullivan; T. D.G. Lee

doi:10.1080/08923970701812332

Immune activation by a sterile aqueous extract of Cordyceps sinensis: Mechanism of action

J. L. Jordan, A. M. Sullivan, T. D.G. Lee

Medicine

Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus that has been used for over 2,000 years in China as a treatment for a variety of conditions including infectious diseases. The available evidence suggests a hypothesis that any efficacy of C. sinensis as an anti-infective therapeutic would be related to a role as an activator of innate immune responses. The objectives of this study were first to investigate the ability of C. sinensis to activate pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages in vitro and induce protective responses against intracellular pathogens in vivo, and second to characterize a method of action. We found that C. sinensis activates murine macrophages to produce a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines. IFN-γ synergizes with C. sinensis to amplify this response. Bacterial endotoxin contamination was ruled out as a potential artefact. The evidence presented in this study supports a hypothesis that C. sinensis activates macrophages by engaging Toll-like receptors and inducing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways characteristic of inflammatory stimuli.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	53-70
Number of pages	18
Journal	Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology
Volume	30
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/08923970701812332
Publication status	Published - Mar 2008

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). We would like to thank Shizuo Akira (Osaka University, Japan) for permission to use the MYD88-deficient and TLR2-deficient mice.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

Immunology and Allergy
Immunology
Toxicology
Pharmacology

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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title = "Immune activation by a sterile aqueous extract of Cordyceps sinensis: Mechanism of action",

abstract = "Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus that has been used for over 2,000 years in China as a treatment for a variety of conditions including infectious diseases. The available evidence suggests a hypothesis that any efficacy of C. sinensis as an anti-infective therapeutic would be related to a role as an activator of innate immune responses. The objectives of this study were first to investigate the ability of C. sinensis to activate pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages in vitro and induce protective responses against intracellular pathogens in vivo, and second to characterize a method of action. We found that C. sinensis activates murine macrophages to produce a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines. IFN-γ synergizes with C. sinensis to amplify this response. Bacterial endotoxin contamination was ruled out as a potential artefact. The evidence presented in this study supports a hypothesis that C. sinensis activates macrophages by engaging Toll-like receptors and inducing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways characteristic of inflammatory stimuli.",

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note = "Funding Information: This work was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). We would like to thank Shizuo Akira (Osaka University, Japan) for permission to use the MYD88-deficient and TLR2-deficient mice.",

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AU - Lee, T. D.G.

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N2 - Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus that has been used for over 2,000 years in China as a treatment for a variety of conditions including infectious diseases. The available evidence suggests a hypothesis that any efficacy of C. sinensis as an anti-infective therapeutic would be related to a role as an activator of innate immune responses. The objectives of this study were first to investigate the ability of C. sinensis to activate pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages in vitro and induce protective responses against intracellular pathogens in vivo, and second to characterize a method of action. We found that C. sinensis activates murine macrophages to produce a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines. IFN-γ synergizes with C. sinensis to amplify this response. Bacterial endotoxin contamination was ruled out as a potential artefact. The evidence presented in this study supports a hypothesis that C. sinensis activates macrophages by engaging Toll-like receptors and inducing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways characteristic of inflammatory stimuli.

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Immune activation by a sterile aqueous extract of Cordyceps sinensis: Mechanism of action

Abstract

Bibliographical note

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

UN SDGs

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