title: Differential effect of betulin and betulinic acid on cytokine production in human whole blood cell cultures.
abstract: Betulin and betulinic acid, plant-derived triterpenoid compounds, have been described to possess anti-inflammatory activity. In this paper, we examine the ability of both compounds to induce and modulate cytokine production in human whole blood cell cultures. The results indicate that betulin is a modest TNF-alpha inducer and also an enhancer of mitogen-induced TNF-alpha production. In contrast to betulin, betulinic acid is a modulator of cytokine production by Th1/Th2 cell subpopulations which slightly enhances IL-10 formation and inhibits IFN-gamma production, reducing IFN-gamma/IL-10 ratio from 3.6 to 2.6.
authors.affiliation: Department of Virology and Immunology, M. Curie-Skłodowska University, Akademicka 19, PL 20-033 Lublin, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zdzisińska
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Rzeski
authors.forename: Roman
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Paduch
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szuster-Ciesielska
authors.forename: Józef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kaczor
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wejksza
authors.forename: Martyna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kandefer-Szerszeń
mesh_terms: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000094062:Betulinic Acid
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016207:Cytokines; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D014315:Triterpenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; C002503:betulin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D000094062:Betulinic Acid