Augmentation of cellular immune response by Ipomoea obscura and Ipobscurine alkaloid attenuates tumor growth in mice

作者：Hamsa T P; Kuttan Girija^*

来源：Canadian Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology, 2011, 89(4): 259-268.

DOI：10.1139/Y11-017

• alloimmunization
• cell-mediated immune response
• CTL
• cytokines
• NK cells
• effector cells
• target cells

The immune status of the host plays a crucial role in controling the process of carcinogenesis. General or selective activation of various immunocompetent cells and their secretory function to maintain a healthy immune status may help in cancer prophylaxis, as well as therapy. The present study focused on the effect of Ipomoea obscura and Ipobscurine on cell-mediated immune response. In this study we evaluated the effect of I. obscura and an indole alkaloid fraction from I. obscura on effector mechanisms of cell-mediated immune response by analyzing cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity, natural killer (NK) cell activity, antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC), and antibody-dependent complement-mediated cytotoxicity (ACC). The effect of I. obscura and Ipobscurine on interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) levels was also analyzed. In the in vitro and in vivo systems, I. obscura and Ipobscurine treatment augmented cell-mediated immune response by enhancing the killing activity of CTL and NK cells from splenocytes in normal as well as tumor-bearing mice. ADCC and ACC were also enhanced significantly in both normal and tumor-bearing animals after drug administration, compared with untreated control. Administration of I. obscura and Ipobscurine significantly enhanced the production of IL-2 and IFN-gamma in normal as well as tumor-bearing animals. This study reveals that both I. obscura and Ipobscurine have the potential to augment immune response through the enhanced secretion of IL-2 and IFN-gamma by T cells and thereby inhibit tumor growth and as an alternative medicine for cancer treatment.

• 出版日期2011-4