title: Immunomodulatory effects of curcumin.
abstract: Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), found in the spice turmeric, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and chemopreventive activities. However, the effect of curcumin on the immunological responses largely remains unknown. In this study we have investigated the effect of curcumin on mitogen (phytohaemagglutinin; PHA) stimulated T-cell proliferation, natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, production of cytokines by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse macrophage cells, RAW-264.7. Furthermore, we have carried out an electromobility shift assay to elucidate the mechanism of action of curcumin at DNA protein interaction level. We observed that curcumin inhibits PHA-induced T-cell proliferation, interleukin-2 production, NO generation, and lipopolysachharide-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and augments NK cell cytotoxicity. Our results suggest that curcumin most likely inhibits cell proliferation and cytokine production by inhibiting NF-kappaB target genes involved in the induction of these immune parameters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Sanjay Gandhi Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, India.
authors.forename: V S
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Yadav
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mehrotra
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Singh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000276:immunology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D004247:DNA; D003474:Curcumin