title: Piperine, a Pungent Alkaloid from Black Pepper, Inhibits B Lymphocyte Activation and Effector Functions.
abstract: Piperine has several well-documented anti-inflammatory properties; however, little is known regarding its effect on humoral immunity. In this study, we describe the immunosuppressive effect of piperine on B lymphocytes, which are integral to the humoral immune response. Mouse B cells were cultured in the absence or presence of non-cytotoxic concentrations (25, 50, and 100 μM) of piperine during T-dependent or T-independent stimulation. Piperine inhibited B cell proliferation by causing G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest in association with reduced expression of cyclin D2 and D3. The inhibitory effect of piperine was not mediated through transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 ion channel (TRPV1) because piperine also inhibited the proliferation of B cells from TRPV1-deficient mice. Expression of class II major histocompatibility complex molecules and costimulatory CD40 and CD86 on B lymphocytes was reduced in the presence of piperine, as was B cell-mediated antigen presentation to syngeneic T cells. In addition, piperine inhibited B cell synthesis of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 cytokines, as well as IgM, IgG2b, and IgG3 immunoglobulins. The inhibitory effect of piperine on B lymphocyte activation and effector function warrants further investigation for possible application in the treatment of pathologies related to inappropriate humoral immune responses. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Soutar
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Carolyn D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Doucette
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Liwski
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.|Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.|Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hoskin
mesh_terms: D000470:Alkaloids / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D052117:Benzodioxoles / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D059585:G1 Phase Cell Cycle Checkpoints / Q000187:drug effects; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D008822:Mice, Transgenic; D029222:Piper nigrum / Q000737:chemistry; D010880:Piperidines / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000470:Alkaloids; D052117:Benzodioxoles; D010880:Piperidines; D053284:Polyunsaturated Alkamides; D016753:Interleukin-10; C008922:piperine
keywords: B lymphocyte; DNA synthesis; antigen-presentation; cytokine; immunoglobulin; piperine