1. Cucurbitacin E Potently Modulates the Activity of Encephalitogenic Cells
- Author
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Suzana Stanisavljević, Gordana Timotijević, Djordje Miljković, Bojan Jevtić, Jovana Despotovic, and Neda Djedović
- Subjects
CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ,0301 basic medicine ,Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental ,p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases ,T cell ,Biology ,Nitric oxide ,Interferon-gamma ,03 medical and health sciences ,chemistry.chemical_compound ,medicine ,Animals ,Humans ,Macrophage ,Zebrafish ,Cucurbitacin E ,chemistry.chemical_classification ,Reactive oxygen species ,Cucurbitacin ,Interleukin-17 ,NF-kappa B ,T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer ,General Chemistry ,Aryl hydrocarbon receptor ,Molecular biology ,Triterpenes ,3. Good health ,030104 developmental biology ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,chemistry ,Biochemistry ,biology.protein ,General Agricultural and Biological Sciences ,Signal Transduction - Abstract
Cucurbitacin E (CucE) is a highly oxidized steroid consisting of a tetracyclic triterpene. It is a member of a Cucurbitacin family of biomolecules that are predominantly found in Cucurbitaceae plants. CucE has already been identified as a potent anti-inflammatory compound. Here, its effects on CD4(+) T helper (Th) cells and macrophages, as the major encephalitogenic cells in the autoimmunity of the central nervous system, were investigated. Production of major pathogenic Th cell cytokines: interferon-gamma and interleukin-17 were inhibited under the influence of CucE. The effects of CucE on CD4(+) T cells were mediated through the modulation of aryl hydrocarbon receptor, STAT3, NFκB, p38 MAPK, and miR-146 signaling. Further, production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, as well as phagocytic ability, were inhibited in macrophages treated with CucE. These results imply that CucE possesses powerful antiencephalitogenic activity.
- Published
- 2016
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