Enhancement of Dectin-2 gene expression by lignin-carbohydrate complex from Lentinus edodes mycelia extract (LEM) in a mouse macrophage-like cell line.

BACKGROUND

Lignin fractions of Lentinus edodes mycelia extract (LEM) have shown anti-HIV and immunopotentiating activity. However, the action point of lignin-carbohydrate complex has not been elucidated. In order to elucidate their action point, DNA microarray analysis was performed, using mouse macrophage-like J774.1 cells.

METHODS

RNA was isolated with Qiagen RNeasy Plus Mini kit, hydridized with GeneChip MouseGene 1.0 ST arrays, and scanned with Affymetrix GeneChip Command Console software.

RESULTS

One of the seven lignin-carbohydrate fractions isolated from LEM (Fr4) enhanced the expression of dectin-2 (4.2-fold) and toll-like receptor (TLR)-2 (2.5-fold) prominently, but only slightly modified the expression of dectin-1 (0.8-fold), complement receptor 3 (0.9-fold), TLR1, 3, 4, 9 and 13 (0.8- to 1.7-fold), spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk)b, zeta-chain (TCR) associated 70 kDa protein kinase (Zap70), Janus tyrosine kinase (Jak)2 (1.0- to 1.2-fold), nuclear factor (Nf)кb1, NFкb2, reticuloendotheliosis viral oncogene homolog (Rel)a, Relb (1.0- to 1.6-fold), Nfкbia, Nfкbib, Nfкbie, Nfкbil2 and Nfкbiz (0.8- to 2.3-fold). On the other hand, lipopolysaccharide did not affect the expression of dectin-2 or TLR-2.

CONCLUSIONS

These data suggest the significant role of the activation of the dectin-2 signaling pathway in the action of lignin-carbohydrate complex on macrophages.