Boswellia carteri extract and 3-O-acetyl-alpha-boswellic acid suppress T cell function.

Zimmermann-Klemd AM; Reinhardt JK; Nilsu T; Morath A; Falanga CM; Schamel WW; Huber R; Hamburger M; Gründemann C

doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2020.104694

Back

Journal article

Boswellia carteri extract and 3-O-acetyl-alpha-boswellic acid suppress T cell function.

Zimmermann-Klemd AM Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Reinhardt JK Pharmaceutical Biology, Pharmacenter, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Nilsu T Kamnoetvidya Science Academy, Wang Chan, Rayong, Thailand.
Morath A Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Spemann Graduate School of Biology and Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Falanga CM Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Schamel WW Signalling Research Centres BIOSS and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Institute of Biology III, Faculty of Biology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany; Center for Chronic Immunodeficiency, Medical Center Freiburg and Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Huber R Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
Hamburger M Pharmaceutical Biology, Pharmacenter, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Gründemann C Translational Complementary Medicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: carsten.gruendemann@unibas.ch.

2020-07-27

Published in:

Fitoterapia. - 2020

English Resins from various Boswellia species have a long track record in different cultures as a treatment for inflammatory diseases. This study was designed to provide evidence for the anti-inflammatory capacity and medicinal use of Boswellia carteri (Burseraceae). A dichloromethane (DCM) extract of B. carteri gum resin and isolated compounds thereof were immunologically characterized. Flow cytometric-based analysis was performed to investigate the impact of B. carteri extract on proliferation, viability, and function of anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 activated human primary T cells. The secretion level of IL-2 and IFN-γ was determined by a bead array-based flow cytometric technique. HPLC-based activity profiling of the B. carteri extract identified active compounds. The impact of B. carteri extract and isolated compounds on the IL-2 transcription factor activity was addressed using specially designed Jurkat reporter cells. The extract of B. carteri suppressed the proliferation of human primary T lymphocytes in vitro in a concentration-dependent manner, without inducing cytotoxicity. Thereby, the B. carteri extract further reduced the degranulation capacity and cytokine secretion of stimulated human T cells. Transcription factor analysis showed that the immunosuppressive effects of the extract are based on specific NFAT-conditioned suppression within T cell signaling. Through HPLC-based activity profiling of the extract, 3-O-acetyl-alpha-boswellic acid was identified as the compound responsible for the NFAT-based mechanism. The recent study presents a scientific base for the immunosuppressive effects of B. carteri gum resin extract including a mode-of-action via the NFAT-conditioned suppression of T lymphocyte proliferation. The immunosuppressive effects of 3-O-acetyl-alpha-boswellic acid are depicted for the first time.

Language