title: Essential oil of niaouli preferentially potentiates antigen-specific cellular immunity and cytokine production by macrophages.
abstract: In vivo immunomodulatory effect of essential oil of niaouli (EON) was investigated using a mouse model, in which mice were immunized with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and intraperitoneally given EON (less than 500 microl kg(-1) body weight). In vivo efficacy of EON for immune potentiation was convinced by significantly higher expression of an activation marker, CD25, on freshly isolated draining lymph node (LN) T cells, but not B cells. However, immunofluoresence analysis failed to show any proportional change in T/B and CD4(+)/CD8(+) T cell ratios. Data of KLH-specific immunoglobulin serum levels showed that EON does not affect humoral immune response. Instead, proliferative response and IFNgamma production of LN T cells ex vivo stimulated with KLH were significantly higher in EON-treated group, but not IL-2 and IL-4 production. These results clearly show that EON preferentially upregulates T-cell mediated cellular immunity. We further clarified the accessory cells' contribution to the EON-mediated potentiation of cellular immunity and found considerably higher production of and TNF-alpha and IL-12 by splenic macrophages from EON-treated mice when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and IFNgamma. Collectively, in vivo EON treatment potentiates T cell-mediated cellular immunity and macrophage activity, but not humoral immunity. The current study provides a rationale for clinical application of EON to control infectious diseases, in particular, those caused by intracellular pathogens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Alternative Therapy, School of Alternative Medicine and Health Science, Jeonju University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Yun
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Mi-Hye
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jeong-Su
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Do
authors.forename: Hyo-Jung
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Hong Keun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D006433:Hemocyanins / Q000276:immunology; D007111:Immunity, Cellular / Q000187:drug effects*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000032:analysis; D008198:Lymph Nodes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013729:Terpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013729:Terpenes; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018664:Interleukin-12; C013545:gomenol; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D006433:Hemocyanins; C032808:keyhole-limpet hemocyanin