Faculty Collaboration Database

Effect of Thuja occidentalis and its polysaccharide on cell-mediated immune responses and cytokine levels of metastatic tumor-bearing animals. Pharm Biol 2011 Oct;49(10):1065-73

Date

05/20/2011

Pubmed ID

21591821

DOI

10.3109/13880209.2011.565351

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-80053056902 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   29 Citations

Abstract

CONTEXT: Tumor microenvironment induces an active immune tolerance and escapes immune surveillance. In order to achieve an effective antitumor immune response, appropriately activated immune cells should maintain their antitumor activity to overcome the immune suppressive tumor microenvironment.

OBJECTIVES: This study focuses on the effect of Thuja occidentalis L. (Cupressaceae) extract and its polysaccharide (TPS) on cell-mediated immune response (CMI) in metastasis bearing mice.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Metastasis was induced by injecting B16F-10 melanoma cells in mice through the tail vein and effector mechanisms of CMI was studied by analyzing cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) activity, natural killer (NK) cell activity, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent complement-mediated cytotoxicity (ACC). The effect of T. occidentalis and TPS on pro-inflammatory cytokines and tissue inhibitor matrix metalloproteinases (TIMP) levels were also analyzed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Administration of T. occidentalis and TPS enhanced the NK cell activity, ADCC and ACC much earlier than the control tumor-bearing animals. T. occidentalis and TPS were also found to decrease the elevated level of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, GM-CSF and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the serum of metastatic tumor-bearing animals. The level of antitumor factors such as IL-2 and TIMP was elevated by the treatment with T. occidentalis and TPS in the serum, which was lowered in the untreated tumor-bearing animals.

CONCLUSION: This study clearly suggests that T. occidentalis and TPS effectively stimulate cell-mediated immune system and decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines, thereby inhibiting metastasis of tumor cells.

Author List

Sunila ES, Hamsa TP, Kuttan G

Author

Sunila Pradeep PhD Associate Professor in the Obstetrics and Gynecology department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Cell Line, Tumor
Cytokines
Cytotoxicity Tests, Immunologic
Drug Compounding
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
Humans
Immunity, Cellular
K562 Cells
Killer Cells, Natural
Lymphocyte Activation
Male
Melanoma, Experimental
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Mice, Inbred C57BL
Phytotherapy
Plant Components, Aerial
Plant Extracts
Polysaccharides
Thuja