title: [Activation of retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated HL-60 cells by saponins].
abstract: The effect of saponins on the one of major functions of neutrophil, namely the generation of superoxide anion (O2-), was investigated using retinoic acid (RA)-differentiated HL-60 cells (promyelocytic leukemia cells). The generation of O2- from the cells induced by saponins was monitored by the reduction of cytochrome c. All five species of crude saponins studied here, i.e. tea-leaf saponins, tea-seed saponins, ginsenosides, soyasaponins and saikosaponins, stimulated the generation of O2- from RA-differentiated HL-60 cells. Tea-leaf saponins showed the highest stimulating activity, followed by soyasaponins and ginsenosides. The cytotoxic activity of saponins was determined by the dye exclusion method after the incubation of RA-differentiated HL-60 cells with various concentrations of saponins. Saikosaponins and tea-seed saponins exhibited considerable cytotoxic activity and hemolytic activity. To examine the involvement of protein kinase C (PKC) in the neutrophil activation by saponins, the effect of H-7, an antagonist of PKC, on the generation of O2- induced by saponins was investigated. H-7 was found to inhibit the generation of O2- in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting the participation of PKC in the neutrophil stimulating process by saponins. Tea-leaf saponins, ginsenosides and soyasaponins, which had high neutrophil stimulating activity and low cytotoxic activity, seemed to be useful as a biological response modifier (BRM) for the activation of neutrophil.
authors.affiliation: Central Research Institute, Ito-en, Co., Ltd., Shizuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uemura
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Sagesaka
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Oku
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Okada
mesh_terms: D002454:Cell Differentiation; D006027:Glycosides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018922:HL-60 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D015473:Leukemia, Promyelocytic, Acute / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018375:Neutrophil Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000378:metabolism*; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000502:physiology; D012503:Saponins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D006027:Glycosides; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D012503:Saponins; D013481:Superoxides; D014212:Tretinoin; D011493:Protein Kinase C