Nam SY, Chang MH, Do JS, Seo HJ, Oh HK
Immunopharmacology and Immunotoxicology, 2008
ABSTRACT:
In vivo immunomodulatory effect of essential oil of niaouli (EON) was investigated using a mouse model, in which mice were immunized with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and intraperitoneally given EON (less than 500 μl kg-1 body weight). In vivo efficacy of EON for immune potentiation was convinced by significantly higher expression of an activation marker, CD25, on freshly isolated draining lymph node (LN) T cells, but not B cells. However, immunofluoresence analysis failed to show any proportional change in T/B and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios. Data of KLH-specific immunoglobulin serum levels showed that EON does not affect humoral immune response. Instead, proliferative response and IFNγ production of LN T cells ex vivo stimulated with KLH were significantly higher in EON-treated group, but not IL-2 and IL-4 production. These results clearly show that EON preferentially upregulates T-cell mediated cellular immunity. We further clarified the accessory cells’ contribution to the EON-mediated potentiation of cellular immunity and found considerably higher production of and TNF-α and IL-12 by splenic macrophages from EON-treated mice when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and IFNγ. Collectively, in vivo EON treatment potentiates T cell-mediated cellular immunity and macrophage activity, but not humoral immunity. The current study provides a rationale for clinical application of EON to control infectious diseases, in particular, those caused by intracellular pathogens.
CITATION:
Nam, SY, Chang MH, Do JS, et al. Essential oil of niaouli preferentially potentiates antigen-specific cellular immunity and cytokine production by macrophages. Immunopharmacol Immunotocxicol. 2008;30(3):459-474.
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