Hot Water Extract of the Sclerotium of Polyporus rhinocerus Cooke Enhances the Immune Functions of Murine Macrophages

Treatment of hot water extract of the sclerotium of Polyporus rhinocerus (PRW) with murine macrophages including RAW 264.7 cell line and primary macrophages (PMs) could enhance their functional activities. These include a significant up-regulation of pinocytosis; an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO); an increase in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in both RAW 264.7 cells and PMs. Cell surface receptors for yeast-derived p-glucan, including Dectin-1, CR3, and TLR2, were determined by flow cytometry, and the expression of Dectin-1(+) cells on the cell surface decreased in the responses of PMs to PRW. PRW increased phosphorylation of IKB alpha, which could trigger the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kappa B) signal pathway for macrophage activation in RAW 264.7 cells. Therefore, the immunomodulatory effect of PRW could be mediated by macrophage activation via the NF-kappa B signal pathway.