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Previous studies have shown that extracts of the aromatic herb feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) and one of its bioactive components, parthenolide, have anti-inflammatory properties in vivo and in vitro. We examined both crude feverfew extracts and purified parthenolide for their ability to modulate adhesion molecule expression in human synovial fibroblasts. Pretreatment of synovial fibroblasts with either feverfew extracts or purified parthenolide could inhibit the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) induced by the cytokines IL-1 (up to 95% suppression), TNF-alpha (up to 93% suppression), and, less strongly, interferon-gamma (up to 39% suppression). Inhibition of ICAM-1 was dose and time dependent; as little as a 30-min pretreatment with feverfew resulted in inhibition of ICAM-1. The decrease in ICAM-1 expression was accompanied by a decrease in T-cell adhesion to the treated fibroblasts. Other herbal extracts with reported anti-inflammatory effects were similarly tested and did not decrease ICAM-1 expression. The modulation of adhesion molecule expression may be an additional mechanism by which feverfew mediates anti-inflammatory effects., (Copyright 2001 Academic Press.)

Monoclonal antibodies were developed against human dermal fibroblast cell-surface membranes. Our goal was to find evidence of differential expression of antigens on fibroblast clones derived by limiting dilution. Antibodies were then used to isolate and identify membrane proteins. By sequence analysis of membrane immunoprecipitates, one monoclonal antibody, BR2, was subsequently shown to recognize the enzyme aminopeptidase N (hAPN; EC 3.4.11.2), originally described as a marker for certain hematopoetic cells. We have used biochemical techniques, electron microscopy, flow cytometry, and ELISA to characterize aminopeptidase N expression by human dermal fibroblasts. The presence of abundant aminopeptidase N confers enzymatic properties to human dermal fibroblasts which heretofore have been largely unexplored and suggest that the cellular distribution of aminopeptidase N is wider than originally appreciated.