Physiochemical and biological properties of phosphorylated polysaccharides from Dictyophora indusiata

In this study, we aim to investigate the physiochemical and biological properties of water-soluble phosphorylated polysaccharides (P-DIP) obtained from a water-insoluble polysaccharide (DIP) extracted from Dictyophora indusiata. A series of physiochemical properties were determined, including morphology, water-solubility, molecular weight, and degree of substitution (DS). To investigate the antioxidant activity of P-DIP, we determined the scavenging activity of hydroxyl radicals and DPPH, as well as the reducing power. MTT assay was performed to determine the cytotoxic effects of DIP and P-DIP on the cellular proliferation of MCF-7 and B16 cells. Compared with DIP, P-DIP showed a satisfactory water-solubility and significant increase in the antioxidant properties. Moreover, P-DIP also showed more significant inhibitory effects on the growth of MCF-7 and B16 tumor cells than the water-insoluble DIP. These results indicated that phosphorylation might contribute to the improvement of water solubility, as well as antioxidant and anti-tumor activities of natural DIP. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.