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

  • Fitoterapia. 2020 Oct;146:104694. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2020.104694.
Amy M Zimmermann-Klemd  1 ,  Jakob K Reinhardt  2 ,  Thanasan Nilsu  3 ,  Anna Morath  4 ,  Chiara M Falanga  1 ,  Wolfgang W Schamel  5 ,  Roman Huber  1 ,  Matthias Hamburger  2 ,  Carsten Gründemann  6
Affiliations
  • 1. Center for Complementary Medicine, Institute for Infection Prevention and Hospital Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 2. Pharmaceutical Biology, Pharmacenter, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
  • 3. Kamnoetvidya Science Academy, Wang Chan, Rayong, Thailand.
  • 4. 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.
  • 5. 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.
  • 6. Translational Complementary Medicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 32712132 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2020.104694
Abstract

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.

Keywords
3-O-acetyl-α-boswellic acid; Boswellia; Immunosuppression; Interleukin-2; NFAT; T cell signaling.
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