Adjuvant properties of AcF1, an immunostimulant fraction of Alchornea cordifolia extract.
As a result of strong experimental data supporting effectiveness and safety, herb-based immunomodulators are paving way as alternative sources of potent adjuvants for vaccines. In this study, the immunostimulatory and adjuvant properties of AcF1, a flavonoids-rich fraction of Alchornea cordifolia extract, was evaluated. In vitro, AcF1 was shown to activate total splenocytes, CD4+ T cells, and B cells, inducing remarkable increases in CD69 expression, profound proliferation, and increased IL-4 and IFN-gamma expression by the naïve splenic cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Lympho-activation and proliferation induced by AcF1 was partially inhibited by U0126, a selective mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (MKK) inhibitor. Additionally, AcF1 was shown to induce structural and functional maturation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BM-DCs) and their specific-antigen presentation functions. Used as an adjuvant in a homologous prime-boost OVA immunisation in C57BL/6 mice, AcF1 significantly (P<0.05) increased the level of OVA-specific antibody titres in the sera of immunised mice, compared to the control group immunised with OVA alone. The results of this study show AcF1 as a potent immunostimulant and a potential adjuvant for further study in combination with other vaccine antigens.
Department of Molecular & Medical Virology, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany. csnworu@yahoo.com
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D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000187:drug effects; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002460:Cell Line; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D019665:Euphorbiaceae / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D005419:Flavonoids; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D015847:Interleukin-4; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases; D010047:Ovalbumin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000099192:CD69 Antigens