Immunomodulatory activity of oenothein B isolated from Epilobium angustifolium.
Epilobium angustifolium has been traditionally used to treat of a number of diseases; however, not much is known regarding its effect on innate immune cells. In this study, we report that extracts of E. angustifolium activated functional responses in neutrophils and monocyte/macrophages. Activity-guided fractionation, followed by mass spectroscopy and NMR analysis, resulted in the identification of oenothein B as the primary component responsible for phagocyte activation. Oenothein B, a dimeric hydrolysable tannin, dose-dependently induced a number of phagocyte functions in vitro, including intracellular Ca(2+) flux, production of reactive oxygen species, chemotaxis, NF-kappaB activation, and proinflammatory cytokine production. Furthermore, oenothein B was active in vivo, inducing keratinocyte chemoattractant production and neutrophil recruitment to the peritoneum after intraperitoneal administration. Biological activity required the full oenothein B structure, as substructures of oenothein B (pyrocatechol, gallic acid, pyrogallol, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid) were all inactive. The ability of oenothein B to modulate phagocyte functions in vitro and in vivo suggests that this compound is responsible for at least part of the therapeutic properties of E. angustifolium extracts.
Departments of Veterinary Molecular Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA.
Igor A
IA
Schepetkin
Liliya N
LN
Kirpotina
Larissa
L
Jakiw
Andrei I
AI
Khlebnikov
Christie L
CL
Blaskovich
Mark A
MA
Jutila
Mark T
MT
Quinn
D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000819:agonists / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D031666:Epilobium / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000819:agonists / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000819:agonists / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D047348:Hydrolyzable Tannins; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C080077:oenothein B; D002118:Calcium