Abstract
Extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) produced by Lactobacillus plantarum No.14 (LP14) were fractionated into neutral EPS (NPS), weakly acidic EPS (W-APS) and strongly acidic EPS (S-APS) by anion-exchange chromatography. The NPS was further fractionated into high molecular weight neutral EPS (HNPS) and low molecular weight neutral EPS (L-NPS) by gel filtration chromatography. The W-APS and S-APS contained carboxyl group 0.76% and sulfate group 7.94%, respectively. H-NPS contained galactose (Gal), glucose (Glc) and rhamnose and L-NPS contained mannose (Man) and Glc in the molar ratio of 0.62 : 1.00 : 0.27 and 0.92 : 1.00, respectively. W-APS contained Gal, Man and Glc and S-APS contained Gal, Man and Glc in the ratio of 0.41 : 6.74 : 1.00 and 0.20 : 0.08 : 1.00, respectively. Mitogenic activity of all EPS as well as LP14 to Peyer's patch cells and mesenteric lymph node cells of swine were significantly higher than control. In conclusion, EPS produced by LP14 consisted of two NPS and two APS, and each EPS had a different sugar composition, furthermore all EPS and LP14 exert immunostimulatory activity on both Peyer's patch cells and mesenteric lymph node cells of swine. These findings suggest that EPS from LP14 has the possibility to have new physiological activities.
