title: Immunomodulatory action of citrus auraptene on macrophage functions and cytokine production of lymphocytes in female BALB/c mice.
abstract: The modifying effects of auraptene isolated from the peel of citrus fruit (Citrus natsudaidai Hayata) on macrophage and lymphocyte functions were investigated in mice. Female BALB/c mice were gavaged with auraptene at a dose of 100, 200 or 400 mg/kg once a day for 10 consecutive days. Glucose consumption of peritoneal macrophages was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05-0.001) in auraptene-treated mice at all doses at 24, 48 and 72 h incubation except for mice given 200 mg/kg auraptene at 24 h incubation. Activity of acid phosphatase in peritoneal macrophages was significantly increased in mice treated with auraptene at a dose level of 100 mg/kg (P < 0.001). Activity of beta-glucuronidase in peritoneal macrophages in the auraptene-treated mice at all doses was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001), but there was no significant difference in lactate dehydrogenase activity of peritoneal macrophages at any dose. Interleukin (IL)-1beta production of peritoneal macrophages in the auraptene-treated mice at all doses was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05-0.001). Tumor necrosis factor alpha production of peritoneal macrophages in mice gavaged with auraptene at a dose of 200 mg/kg was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). Auraptene did not affect proliferation of spontaneous splenic lymphocytes in mice at any dose. Stimulation indices in mice given auraptene at a dose of 200 mg/kg were significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). When spleenic lymphocytes were cultured without concanavalin A (Con A), IL-2 and interferon (IFN) gamma productions were not detectable in the supernatant. However, IL-2 and IFN production stimulated by Con A were significantly increased in mice gavaged with auraptene at dose levels of 100 and 200 mg/kg (P 0.05-0.001). Auraptene did not enhance spontaneous IL-4 production by splenocytes. There was no significant difference in IL-4 production of splenic lymphocytes stimulated by Con A in all groups. These findings might suggest that oral administration of citrus auraptene effectively enhanced macrophage and lymphocyte functions in mice.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pathology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan. takutt@kanazawa-med.ac.jp
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Inaba
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nishikawa
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Murakami
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Koshimizu
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ohigashi
mesh_terms: D000135:Acid Phosphatase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D003374:Coumarins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D003374:Coumarins; D016207:Cytokines; D007770:L-Lactate Dehydrogenase; D000135:Acid Phosphatase; D005966:Glucuronidase; C105832:aurapten; D005947:Glucose