Structural characterization of a novel polysaccharide from Hericium erinaceus and its protective effects against H2O2-induced injury in human gastric epithelium cells

Abstract In this paper, a novel water-soluble polysaccharide (HEP W1 ) was extracted from Hericium erinaceus , physicochemical characterization showed that HEP W1 with a relative molecular weight of 5.163 kDa was composed of fucose (6.13%), glucose (72.28%) and galactose (21.59%). A H 2 O 2 -induced cellular injury model for human gastric epithelium (GES-1) cells was established and used to investigate the protective effects of HEP W1 against this oxidative stress. It was found that HEP W1 could significantly protect GES-1 cells from H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress by enhancing the antioxidant capacity of intracellular substances of the treated cells and regulating intracellular antioxidant enzyme system, inhibiting H 2 O 2 -induced apoptosis, blocking cell cycle, reducing ROS, attenuating DNA damage and preserving cell membranes. This research is useful for the prevention or treatment of oxidation-related diseases and is also beneficial for the development of healthy foods containing fungal polysaccharides.