title: Tryptanthrin inhibits interferon-gamma production by Peyer's patch lymphocytes derived from mice that had been orally administered staphylococcal enterotoxin.
abstract: Tryptanthrin, a biologically active compound found in the medicinal plant Polygonum tinctorium, reportedly has several biological activities. We investigated the effects of tryptanthrin on cytokine production by lymphocytes in response to staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which causes a variety of disorders in humans based on its induction of large amounts of immunostimulatory cytokines. Tryptanthrin dose-dependently inhibited interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-2 production by mouse spleen cells and Peyer's patch (PP) lymphocytes in vitro. The efficacy of tryptanthrin was further studied in a mouse model in vivo. Tryptanthrin was administered orally 2 h after an oral challenge with SEB. Nineteen hours after SEB administration, PP lymphocytes were prepared, and IFN-gamma production by PP lymphocytes was examined. The production of IFN-gamma increased after SEB administration, and the elevated IFN-gamma production was significantly inhibited by tryptanthrin treatment. These results suggest that tryptanthrin may be effective in the treatment of disorders of the intestines, such as food poisoning, that are associated with activated lymphocytes.
authors.affiliation: Fujisaki Institute, Hayashibara Biochemical Laboratories, Inc., Okayama, Japan. k-iwaki@hayashibara.co.jp
authors.forename: Yasuhiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kunikata
authors.forename: Miho
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aga
authors.forename: Shin-ichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Shimpei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ushio
authors.forename: Kanso
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Iwaki
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: Masashi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kurimoto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D004768:Enterotoxins / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000187:drug effects*; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004768:Enterotoxins; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011799:Quinazolines; C046243:tryptanthrine; C031818:enterotoxin B, staphylococcal; D007371:Interferon-gamma