Grifola frondosa Polysaccharides Alleviated Cyclophosphamide—Induced Intestinal Injury Based on Microbiota, Metabolite and Immune Axis Modulation

TL;DR

Grifola frondosa polysaccharides help protect the intestines from chemotherapy damage by improving gut health and immunity.

Contribution

This study reveals a new role for Grifola frondosa polysaccharides in mitigating chemotherapy-induced intestinal injury through microbiota and immune modulation.

Findings

GFP treatment reduced body weight loss and organ atrophy in mice with CTX-induced intestinal injury.

GFP increased goblet cell numbers and upregulated genes like ZO-1 and MUC2, which support intestinal barrier integrity.

GFP modulated gut microbiota and increased metabolites like SCFAs, which are linked to improved intestinal immunity.

Abstract

Grifola frondosa polysaccharides (GFP), which possess antitumor properties, can counteract intestinal injury induced by cyclophosphamide (CTX). The objective of this research was to evaluate the efficacy of GFP in protecting the intestinal barrier of mice and investigate the mechanisms behind this effect. Using a CTX-induced intestinal barrier injury model, we found that GFP treatment significantly alleviated body weight loss and organ atrophy, while enhancing serum IgG and IgM levels. Histological analysis showed that GFP effectively repaired the intestinal mucosal structure, increased goblet cell numbers, and led to an upregulation in the gene expression of ZO-1, Occludin, and MUC2. GFP modulated cytokine expression, including IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-22. According to 16S rDNA sequencing results, GFP enhanced the abundance of unclassified_Muribaculaceae while reducing the prevalence of Escherichia_Shigella. Furthermore, GFP elevated the concentrations of several metabolites, including SCFAs and pyridoxal, which are closely related to intestinal barrier protection and mucosal immunity. Overall, this study demonstrated that GFP has strong potential as an immune-enhancing adjuvant and may represent a promising intervention strategy to mitigate chemotherapy-induced intestinal injury.

Figures