Atractylodis macrocephalae Koidz. polysaccharides enhance both serum IgG response and gut mucosal immunity

Fifty-six mice were randomly divided into four groups with 14 mice in each. Two groups were subcutaneously injected twice with a foot-and-mouth disease vaccine with 2-week intervals; each of them had been orally administered 0.89% saline or Atractylodis macrocephalae Koidz. polysaccharides (RAMPS) 0.05 g for 4 days before immunization. The rest were not immunized but treated in the same way. One-week after the primary and two weeks after the booster immunization, half in each group were sacrificed to measure serum IgG and the parameters for the intestinal mucosal immunity. Results indicated that oral administration of RAMPS increased both serum specific IgG response and intestinal mucosal immunity as shown by elevated total sIgA, mRNA expression of TGF-β, IL-6, TNF-α, IgA+ cells and intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes in duodenum. It is suggested that increased serum IgG response may be associated with enhanced local mucosal immunity by oral administration of RAMPS.