Roles of mushroom polysaccharides in chronic disease management

Chronic diseases have drawn much attention as the primary cause of death and disability. In exploring novel sideeffect-free agents against chronic diseases, significant efforts have been devoted to mushroom polysaccharides due to their diverse biological activities. This work reviewed the structural features, biological performances and molecular mechanisms of mushroom polysaccharides in managing cancers, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. The potentials of mushroom polysaccharides against chronic diseases highly depend on their structural features, including monosaccharide composition, molecular weight, the type and configuration of glycosidic bonds, degree of branching, the type of substituent pattern and chain conformation. Regarding their working mechanisms, shared and diseasespecific pathways were found. The three chronic diseases shared the regulation of specific signalling pathways and the adjustment of gut microbiota. In addition, the roles of transcription factors, receptors, enzymes, hormones and other functional proteins involved in the molecular mechanisms of mushroom polysaccharides against chronic diseases are first elaborated herein. The present review describes the state of the art of mushroom polysaccharides in treating chronic diseases and addresses the perspectives, and will further promote research on this topic.