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In vitro and in vivo immunomodulating effects of traditionally-prepared extract and purified compounds from Cetraria islandica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 May 2008

J. Freysdottir ,
S. Omarsdottir ,
K. Ingolfsdottir ,
A. Vikingsson  and
E. S. Olafsdottir
J. Freysdottir
Affiliation:
Centre for Rheumatology Research, Landspitali University Hospital, IS-101 Reykjavik, Iceland Department of Immunology, Landspitali University Hospital, IS-101 Reykjavik, Iceland
S. Omarsdottir
Affiliation:
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Iceland, Hagi, Hofsvallagata 53, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland
K. Ingolfsdottir
Affiliation:
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Iceland, Hagi, Hofsvallagata 53, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland
A. Vikingsson
Affiliation:
Department of Rheumatology, Landspitali University Hospital, IS-108 Reykjavik, Iceland
E. S. Olafsdottir
Affiliation:
Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Iceland, Hagi, Hofsvallagata 53, IS-107 Reykjavik, Iceland
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Abstract

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Type
1st International Immunonutrition Workshop, Valencia, 3–5 October 2007, Valencia, Spain
Information
Proceedings of the Nutrition Society , Volume 67 , Issue OCE1: 1st International Immunonutrition Workshop, Valencia, 3–5 October 2007, Valencia, Spain , May 2008 , E13
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2008

Cetraria islandica has been used for centuries in folk medicine in many countries to treat a number of conditions, mainly as an aqueous extract(1, Reference Olafsdottir and Ingólfsdottir2). C. islandica contains many compounds, some of which have shown biological activity(Reference Ingolfsdottir, Jurcic, Fischer and Wagner3–Reference Omarsdottir, Olafsdottir and Freysdottir6). However, very little is known about their effect on the immune system. Thus, the effect of traditionally-prepared aqueous extract and purified compounds isolated from C. islandica (polysaccharides lichenan and isolichenan and secondary metabolites protolichesterinic acid (PLA) and fumarprotocetraric acid (FPCA)) on the maturation of dendritic cells was assessed.

Human monocytes were isolated from healthy individuals and differentiated into immature dendritic cells by culturing them in the presence of IL-4 and granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor. They were subsequently cultured in the presence of maturation factors (IL-1β and TNFα), either alone (Neg) or with positive controls lipopolysaccharides (LPS), PGE2, cholecalciferol (VD3) or the aqueous extract or purified compounds from C. islandica. Their effect on the maturation of the dendritic cells was assessed by measuring secretion of IL-10 and IL-12 by ELISA and expression of the surface molecules CD86 and CD209 by flow cytometry. In addition, the effect of the aqueous extract on antigen-induced arthritis in rats was investigated.

The aqueous extract up regulated secretion of both IL-10 and IL-12, with IL-10 secretion being more prominent (Figure). Lichenan had similar effects, but not isolichenan or the secondary metabolites, suggesting that the effect observed with the aqueous extract was mainly mediated by lichenan. Significantly less arthritis was observed for rats treated with the aqueous extract compared with rats treated with saline (9 g NaCl/l) alone (data not shown).

These results suggest that the aqueous extract of C. islandica has an anti-inflammatory effect, possibly by changing the cytokine secretion bias from IL-12 towards IL-10.

Figure. IL-12p40:IL-10 secretion by dendritic cells cultured with maturation factors alone (Neg); LPS; PGE2; VD3;extract, lichenan and isolichenan at 100 and 10 μg/ml; or FPCA and PLA at 1, 0.1 and 0.01 μg/ml. Values are means and standard deviation represented by vertical bars. Mean values were significantly different from that for the control (Neg): *P<0.05.

References

1. Ingólfsdóttir K (2000) Bioactive compounds from Iceland moss. In Bioactive Carbohydrate Polymers – Occurrence, Function and Use. Proceedings of the Phytochemical Society of Europe, vol. 44, pp. 25–36 [BS Paulsen, editor]. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers.Google Scholar
2. Olafsdottir, ES & Ingólfsdottir, K (2001) Planta Med 67, 199–208.Google Scholar
3. Ingolfsdottir, K, Jurcic, K, Fischer, B & Wagner, H (1994) Planta Med 60, 527–531.Google Scholar
4. Ingólfsdóttir, K, Jurcic, K & Wagner, H (1998) Phytomedicine 5, 333–339.Google Scholar
5. Olafsdottir, ES, Ingolfsdottir, K, Barsett, H, Paulsen, BS, Jurcic, K & Wagner, H (1999) Phytomedicine 6, 33–39.Google Scholar
6. Omarsdottir, S, Olafsdottir, ES & Freysdottir, J (2006) Int Immunopharmacol 6, 1642–1650.Google Scholar
Figure 0

Figure. IL-12p40:IL-10 secretion by dendritic cells cultured with maturation factors alone (Neg); LPS; PGE2; VD3;extract, lichenan and isolichenan at 100 and 10 μg/ml; or FPCA and PLA at 1, 0.1 and 0.01 μg/ml. Values are means and standard deviation represented by vertical bars. Mean values were significantly different from that for the control (Neg): *P<0.05.