Soo-Wan Chae^1,2, Fusako Mitsunaga^3,4, Su-Jin Jung², Ki-Chan Ha⁵, Hong-Sig Sin⁶, Seung-Hwan Jang⁶, Shin Nakamura^3,4*

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¹ Department of Pharmacology, Chonbuk National University Medical School, Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea.
² Clinical Trial Center for Functional Foods (CTCF2), Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea.
³ Intelligence and Technology Lab Inc., Kaizu, Japan.
⁴ NPO Primate Agora, Inuyama, Japan.
⁵ Healthcare Claims & Management Inc., Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea.
⁶ Chebigen Inc., Jeonju-si, Republic of Korea.
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Abstract: Cordyceps (CS) is used as an alternative medicine and functional food. We examined in vivo mechanisms underlying the antifatigue effects of the cultured mycelium extract of CS (CS extract) in forced swimming mice, a fatigue model that is induced by muscle exercise. Animals orally administered with CS extract significantly extended the loaded forced-swimming time, indicating its antifatigue effects. CS extract modulated the increased levels of blood IL-6 that was induced by forced swimming. CS extract protected the forced swimming-induced increase in NKp46 expression of splenic NK cells, suggesting regulation of fatigue-elicited hyper-reactivity by activated NK cells. By DNA microarray analysis of the quadriceps femoris muscle, it was uncovered that CS extract prevented the forced swimming-mediated upregulation of the expression of 5 genes associating with muscular inflammation (Ccl6, Ccl8, and Wfdc17) and muscle regeneration (Sfrp4 and Nfil3), whereas it regulated the downregulation in the expression of Svs5 participating in actin binding. CS extract exhibits the antifatigue effects through preventing IL-6 accumulation in blood, regulating NK cell activation in the spleen, and alleviating altered expression of genes related to inflammation, regeneration, and actin binding in the local muscle. Thus, CS extract is an effective functional food for preventing fatigue.

Keywords: DNA Microarray, IL-6, NK Cell Activation, Muscle Inflammation

Cite this paper: Chae, S. , Mitsunaga, F. , Jung, S. , Ha, K. , Sin, H. , Jang, S. and Nakamura, S. (2015) Mechanisms Underlying the Antifatigue Effects of the Mycelium Extract of Cordyceps (Paecilomyces hepiali, CBG-CS-2) in Mice in the Forced Swimming Test. Food and Nutrition Sciences, 6, 287-298. doi: 10.4236/fns.2015.62029.

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