title: MCS-18, a novel natural plant product prevents autoimmune diabetes.
abstract: There is still a vital need for new therapies in order to prevent or treat type I diabetes. In this respect, we report that MCS-18 a novel natural product isolated from the plant Helleborus purpurascens (i.e. Christmas rose) is able to increase diabetes free survival using the NOD-mouse model, which is accompanied with a diminished IFN-γ secretion of splenocytes. In the animal group which has been treated with MCS-18 during week 8 and week 12 of age 70% of the animals showed a diabetes free survival at week 30, whereas in contrast in the untreated animals less than 10% were free of diabetes. MCS-18 treatment significantly reduced islet T-cell infiltrates as well as the rate of T-cell proliferation. Periinsular infiltrates in the MCS-18 treated animals showed a significantly enhanced number of Foxp3(+) CD25(+) T cells, indicating the increased presence of regulatory T cells. These studies show that MCS-18 exerts an efficient immunosuppressive activity with remarkable potential for the therapy of diseases characterized by pathological over-activation of the immune system.
authors: Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Erlangen, Ulmenweg 18, D-91052 Erlangen, Germany.
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Seifarth
authors: Leonie
authors: L
authors: Littmann
authors: Yazid
authors: Y
authors: Resheq
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Rössner
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Goldwich
authors: Nadine
authors: N
authors: Pangratz
authors: Franz
authors: F
authors: Kerek
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Steinkasserer
authors: Elisabeth
authors: E
authors: Zinser