In recent years, the outbreak frequency of Asterias amurensis along the northern coast of China has increased year by year. Its excessive proliferation has caused multi-dimensional hazards to coastal ecological stability, fishery sustainability and coastal related industries. Exploring its high-value utilization of resources has become an urgent need to solve the ecological governance dilemma. In this study, a marine glycopeptide, SP-2S1 (Molecular mass: 3 790 Da), was isolated and purified from Asterias amurensis. The structural characteristics of SP-2S1 was analyzed using FTIR, SDS-PAGE, and H-NMR. Monosaccharide composition analysis reveals that it predominantly contained mannose, rhamnose, and glucose at a molar ratio of 59.72∶15.58∶15.11, while amino acid profiling indicates high levels of glycine, aspartic acid, and proline at a ratio of 13.8∶8.6∶6.2. In vitro, SP-2S1 significantly enhanced the immune activity of RAW264.7 macrophages by promoting phagocytosis and increasing the secretion of NO, ROS, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and TNF-α). Mechanistic studies show that SP-2S1 upregulated TLR4 and MyD88 expression, increased the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, and activated the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. These findings suggest that the marine glycopeptide SP-2S1 derived from A. amurensi has potential as an immunomodulator, which provides a basis for the high-value utilization of this species and for the development of marine glycopeptide-based immune adjuvants.

Liver fibrosis is a critical pathological stage in chronic liver disease progression, with effective clinical therapeutics remaining limited. Herein, a homogeneous glucan (XYS1-1, 12.59 kDa) was isolated and purified from Panax quinquefolius Radix roots-a widely used medicinal and functional food ingredient. Structural characterization via monosaccharide composition, IR, methylation analysis, and 2D-NMR confirmed XYS1-1 has a →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ backbone with terminal α-D-Glcp branches at C-6 positions, distinguishing it from commercial starches as a potential functional hydrocolloid. In vitro (TGF-β1-induced LX-2 cells) and in vivo (CCl₄-induced fibrotic mice) assays demonstrated that XYS1-1 alleviated liver fibrosis in a concentration-dependent manner-outperforming the clinical reference Fuzheng Huayu Capsule in reducing α-SMA/collagen expression, serum ALT/AST levels, and hepatic pathological injury. Mechanistically, XYS1-1 exerted antifibrotic effects by suppressing macrophage inflammatory responses, regulating M1/M2 polarization, and inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. These findings highlight XYS1-1, as a promising candidate for functional foods targeting liver health, while expanding insights into natural polysaccharide-based strategies against liver fibrosis.