title: Analysis of the effect of the active compound of green tea (EGCG) on the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancer immunotherapy requires proper manipulation of the immune system, lymphocytes in particular, in order to identify and destroy the cancer cells as non-self. In this study we investigated the effect of the flavonoid present in green tea, namely epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), on the proliferation of, and IFN-γ production by, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from breast cancer patients stimulated with a mitogen, anti-CD3 and the common breast cancer peptides Her-2/neu, and p53.
  
  
  METHODS
  Blood samples were collected from 25 patients with breast cancer at the Kuwait Cancer Control Centre (KCCC). The patients were newly diagnosed, and had not undergone any treatment or surgery at the time of sample collection. The control group consisted of 25 healthy women age-matched (±5 years) to the patients. PBMC were isolated from the patients and controls, and were cultured separately with the mitogen PHA, anti-CD3 antibodies, and Her-2/neu and p53 in the presence or absence of standardized doses of EGCG. The degree of proliferation and interferon-γ [IFN-γ) release were then analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EGCG significantly suppressed the proliferation of PBMC in response to stimulation separately with (i) the mitogen, (ii) anti-CD3, and (iii) the cancer antigen peptides. IFN-γ production was also significantly suppressed by EGCG in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EGCG appears to have an immunosuppressive effect on the proliferation of PBMC, indicating that EGCG is worth exploring for immunomodulatory effects in autoimmune diseases and tissue transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Al-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. dadaland@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Farid
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: Raj
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Raghupathy
authors.forename: Sami
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Asfar
authors.forename: Medhat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oteifa
authors.forename: Noha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Al-Saleh
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology*; D028241:Camellia sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate