Immunomodulatory Effects of Esculetin(6,7-Dihydroxycoumarin)on Murine Lymphocytes and Peritoneal Macrophages

作     者：Kwok-nam Leung Dr.Kwok-nam Leung Pui-yinLeung Lai-pingKong Po-kiLeung 

作者机构：Department of BiochemistryThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong KongChina Corresponding Department of BiochemistryThe Chinese University of Hong KongShatinHong KongChina. 

出 版 物：《Cellular & Molecular Immunology》 (中国免疫学杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2005年第2卷第3期

页      面：181-188页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 1004[医学-公共卫生与预防医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 1002[医学-临床医学] 1001[医学-基础医学(可授医学、理学学位)] 100102[医学-免疫学] 10[医学] 

基　　金：Research Committee - The Chinese University of Hong Kong 

主　　题：immunomodulatory esculetin coumarin murine macrophage LAK cell 

摘      要：Coumarins belong to a diverse group of naturally occurring non-nutrient phytochemicals known as benzo-α- pyrones. In this study, esculetin, a 6,7-dihydroxy derivative of coumarin with pleiotropic biological activities, was found to have no significant cytotoxic effect on normal murine macrophages, but it could increase the in vivo migration of the thioglycollate-elicited macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, esculetin significantly increased the endocytic activity, and augmented the nitric oxide production and iNOS gene expression in LPS-treated macrophages. In addition, in vivo administration of esculetin into mice was shown to increase the mitogenesis of splenic lymphocytes towards Con A and LPS stimulations, and induced the LAK activity of splenic lymphocytes. Collectively, our results indicate that esculetin could exert immunomodulatory effects on murine macrophages and lymphocytes, both in vitro and in vivo, and this might be one of the possible mechanisms by which coumarins can exert their chemopreventive and anti-tumor activities in vivo. Cellular ＆ Molecular Immunology. 2005;2（3）： 181-188.