title: Artesunate inhibits proliferation of naïve CD4(+) T cells but enhances function of effector T cells.
abstract: Artesunate is an artemisinin derivative from Artemisia annua and is being applied as a first-line drug for malaria treatment. In addition to anti-malarial effects, anti-cancer, anti-viral, and anti-inflammatory activities have been reported for artemisinin derivatives. In this study, we investigated the effects of artesunate on naïve T cell activation and Th1/Th2 differentiation. Artesunate inhibited the proliferation of CD4(+) T cells and the production of IL-2, T cell growth factor. Moreover, artesunate reduced the expression of cell surface protein CD25 (IL-2 receptor alpha chain) and CD69 on CD4(+) T cells. Artesunate showed inhibitory effects on naïve T cell activation but artesunate increased the production of IFN-γ and IL-4 under Th1 and Th2 skewed condition respectively. Therefore, these results suggest that artesunate has a negative mitogenic effect on CD4(+) T cells but reinforces the function of effector T cells.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy & Research Institute of Drug Development, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, 500-757, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Young-Chang
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Kyung Hee
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ik-Soo
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Hyun Jin
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Bok Yun
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte / Q000096:biosynthesis; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077332:Artesunate; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D037181:Lectins, C-Type / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D000099192:CD69 Antigens
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000945:Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte; D037621:Artemisinins; D000077332:Artesunate; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007376:Interleukin-2; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D015847:Interleukin-4; D037181:Lectins, C-Type; D000099192:CD69 Antigens