背景:冬虫夏草(O.sinensis)是子囊菌真菌的一种,特有于青藏高原和喜马拉雅山附近的高山草甸。传统上,它被用作滋补品,以改善中国古代的呼吸健康,并促进活力和长寿。在O.sinensis中发现的生物活性成分,如腺苷,虫草素,3-脱氧腺苷,近年来,L-精氨酸和多糖由于其抗氧化和其他特性而受到越来越多的关注,其中包括抗哮喘,抗病毒,免疫调节和改善一般健康。
目的:本研究的主要目的是研究栽培的O.sinensis菌株(OCS02®)子实体对气道通畅的影响,次要重点是研究其对秀丽隐杆线虫寿命的影响。
方法:培养菌株,OCS02®,并通过液相色谱-质谱(LC-MS)分析其冷水提取物(CWE)的代谢谱。当应用于从成年雄性Sprague-Dawley大鼠获得的气道组织时,使用器官浴方法来研究OCS02®CWE的药理学性质。使用药理学工具探索OCS02®CWE的气道松弛机制,研究了气道松弛和收缩的关键调节剂。对于长寿研究,年龄同步,pos-1RNAi处理的L4期野生型秀丽隐杆线虫用于寿命测定。
结果:各种糖肽和氨基酸,特别是高浓度的L-精氨酸,从LC-MS分析中鉴定。在气道组织中,当与沙丁胺醇相比时,OCS02®CWE诱导显著更大的浓度依赖性松弛。在NG-硝基-L-精氨酸甲酯(L-NAME)的存在下,松弛反应显着减弱,1H-[1,2,4]恶二唑并[4,3-a]喹喔啉-1-酮(ODQ)和几种K通道阻滞剂。在秀丽隐杆线虫中观察到由OCS02®CWE(5mg/mL及以上)诱导的长寿效应至少17%。
结论:这些研究结果表明,OCS02®CWE的气道松弛机制涉及cGMP依赖性和cGMP非依赖性一氧化氮信号通路。这项研究提供了证据,证明OCS02®的培养菌株表现出气道松弛作用,这支持了其野生O.sinensis在增强呼吸道健康方面的传统用途。
BACKGROUND: Ophiocordyceps sinensis (O. sinensis) is a genus of Ascomycete fungus that is endemic to the alpine meadows of the Tibetan Plateau and adjoining Himalayas. It has been used traditionally as a tonic to improve respiratory health in ancient China as well as to promote vitality and longevity. Bioactive components found in O. sinensis such as adenosine, cordycepin, 3-deoxyadenosine, L-arginine and polysaccharides have gained increasing interest in recent years due to their antioxidative and other properties, which include anti-asthmatic, antiviral, immunomodulation and improvement of general health.
OBJECTIVE: This study\'s primary aim was to investigate the effect of a cultivated fruiting body of O. sinensis strain (OCS02®) on airways patency and the secondary focus was to investigate its effect on the lifespan of Caenorhabditis elegans.
METHODS: A cultivated strain, OCS02®, was employed and the metabolic profile of its cold-water extract (CWE) was analysed through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Organ bath approach was used to investigate the pharmacological properties of OCS02® CWE when applied on airway tissues obtained from adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. The airway relaxation mechanisms of OCS02® CWE were explored using pharmacological tools, where the key regulators in airway relaxation and constriction were investigated. For the longevity study, age-synchronised, pos-1 RNAi-treated wild-type type Caenorhabditis elegans at the L4 stage were utilised for a lifespan assay.
RESULTS: Various glycopeptides and amino acids, particularly a high concentration of L-arginine, were identified from the LC-MS analysis. In airway tissues, OCS02® CWE induced a significantly greater concentration-dependent relaxation when compared to salbutamol. The relaxation response was significantly attenuated in the presence of NG-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo [4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) and several K+ channel blockers. The longevity effect induced by OCS02® CWE (5 mg/mL and above) was observed in C. elegans by at least 17%.
CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the airway relaxation mechanisms of OCS02® CWE involved cGMP-dependent and cGMP-independent nitric oxide signalling pathways. This study provides evidence that the cultivated strain of OCS02® exhibits airway relaxation effects which supports the traditional use of its wild O. sinensis in strengthening respiratory health.