title: Chalcones from Chinese liquorice inhibit proliferation of T cells and production of cytokines.
abstract: Licochalcone A (LicA), an oxygenated chalcone, has been shown to inhibit the growth of both parasites and bacteria. In this study, we investigated the effect of LicA and four synthetic analogues on the activity of human peripheral blood mononuclear cell proliferation and cytokine production. Four out of five chalcones tested inhibited the proliferation of lymphocytes measured by thymidine incorporation and by flow cytometry. The production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines from monocytes and T cells was also inhibited by four of five chalcones. Furthermore, intracellular detection of cytokines revealed that the chalcones inhibited the production rather than the release of the cytokines. Taken together, these results indicate that LicA and some analogues may have immunomodulatory effects, and may thus be candidates not only as anti-microbial agents, but also for the treatment of other types of diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Centre for Medical Parasitology, Copenhagen University Hospital (Rigshospitalet), Denmark.
authors.forename: Lea
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Barfod
authors.forename: Kåre
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Majbritt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Arsalan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kharazmi
mesh_terms: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002599:Chalcone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047188:Chalcones; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000977:Antiparasitic Agents; D047188:Chalcones; D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D002599:Chalcone; C070840:licochalcone A; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate