Effect of structural features on the antitumor activity of plant and microbial polysaccharides: A review.

With the lifestyle change and environmental pollution, tumors have become one of the most serious diseases that threaten human health. However, therapeutic and drug resistances during tumor treatment have forced us to search for alternative harnessing methods. Recently, considerable evidence has demonstrated that polysaccharides are a promising antitumor agent with high efficiency and low or no side effects. Nonetheless, the effect of structural features on the antitumor activity of polysaccharides is usually overlooked, which limits the development and exploitation of antitumor polysaccharides. Therefore, this work reviews the effect of structural features (including monosaccharide composition and proportion, molecular weight, glycosidic linkage, spatial structure, and chemical modification) on the antitumor activity of plant and microbial polysaccharides. Meanwhile, the possible antitumor mechanism of plant and microbial polysaccharides induced by their structural features is provided. This work is not only helpful for rapidly screening plant and microbial polysaccharides with antitumor activity on the basis of their structural features, but also offers good guidance for improving the antitumor activity of plant and microbial polysaccharides or polysaccharide-based derivatives via chemical, physical, and enzymatic modifications. Furthermore, it will provide help for the application of plant and microbial polysaccharide-based food in tumor treatment or prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]