title: Polysaccharide-protein complex from Lycium barbarum L. is a novel stimulus of dendritic cell immunogenicity.
abstract: Dendritic cell (DC) immunogenicity correlates with its maturation, which can be induced by toxic microbial products such as LPS. In this study, we report that a nontoxic polysaccharide-protein complex isolated from a Chinese medicinal herb, Lycium barbarum (LBP), induces phenotypic and functional maturation of DCs with strong immunogenicity. LBP up-regulated DC expression of CD40, CD80, CD86, and MHC class II molecules; down-regulated DC uptake of Ag; enhanced DC allostimulatory activity; and induced IL-12p40 and p70 production. All of its five fractions were active. LBP developed enhanced Th1 response, and LBP-treated DCs enhanced Th1 and Th2 responses in vitro and in vivo. Our study provides evidence and rationale on using LBP in various clinical conditions to enhance host immunity and suggests LBP as a potent adjuvant for the design of DC-based vaccines.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology Programme, World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Research and Training in Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Zhisong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jinhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: Benny Kwong Huat
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Soh Ha
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D032305:Lycium / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053762:Interleukin-12 Subunit p40; D010940:Plant Proteins; C500223:lycium barbarum polysaccharide; D018664:Interleukin-12