Influence of carvacrol on proliferation and survival of porcine lymphocytes and intestinal epithelial cells in vitro.
Carvacrol, an essential oil compound of oregano and thyme, has potential applications as an alternative to antibiotic growth promoters in pig nutrition. Carvacrol is well known for its antibacterial effects, but it is unclear whether there are additional effects on the porcine immune system. In the present study, the influence of carvacrol on porcine blood lymphocytes was examined. The porcine enterocyte cell line IPEC-1 was examined for comparison. Carvacrol inhibited the proliferation of purified lymphocytes with an IC50 of 182+/-67 microM in MTT assays. This was confirmed by CFSE assay. The presence of monocytes in carvacrol-treated lymphocyte preparations had a protective effect on the lymphocytes, significantly raising the IC50 to 516+/-87 microM. FACS analysis of CFSE labelled lymphocyte subsets revealed that gammadelta T cells were less susceptible to carvacrol toxicity than CD4 and CD8 T cells. The reduced lymphocyte proliferation measured after carvacrol exposure was shown to be due to apoptotic cell death, as determined by annexin-V binding and caspase-3 activation. The observed effects were not specific for lymphocytes, since carvacrol similarly induced apoptosis and suppressed proliferation in the porcine enterocyte cell line IPEC-1.
Bimczok
Diane
D
Institute of Anatomy, Medical Faculty, Otto-von-Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany. dianebimczok@yahoo.de
Rau
Henriette
H
Sewekow
Eva
E
Janczyk
Pawel
P
Souffrant
Wolfgang Bernhard
WB
Rothkötter
Hermann-Josef
HJ
D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D000081007:Cymenes; D020895:Enterocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D039821:Monoterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013552:Swine; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000081007:Cymenes; D039821:Monoterpenes; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; C073316:carvacrol; D053148:Caspase 3; C022616:thiazolyl blue