Alleviation of cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression in mice by naturally acetylated hemicellulose from bamboo shavings

摘要

Bamboo-shavings hemicellulose (BSH) is a water-extractable hemicellulose isolated from steamed-exploded bamboo shavings. The present study investigated the protective potential of BSH against cyclophosphamide (CPA)-induced immunosuppression in mice. Mice were orally administered BSH once daily at the dose of 50, 100 or 200mg/kg body weight (BW) for 14 days, coupled with a hypodermic injection of CPA (70mg/kg BW/day) on days 4, 8 and 12. The results showed that 14 days of oral administration of BSH at a dose of 100 or 200mg/kg BW/day significantly accelerated the recoveries of serum hemolysin formation, phagocytic function of the reticuloendothelial system, splenocyte proliferation, splenic NK cell activity, secretion of splenic Th1/Th2 cytokines (IL-2, IL-12, TNF-, INF-/IL-4) together with mRNA expression of Th1/Th2 transcription factors (T-bet/GATA-3) in CPA-induced immunosuppressive mice. Our results demonstrated that BSH could ameliorate CPA-induced immunosuppression in mice and may potentially serve as a supportive therapy in conventional chemotherapy.