Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
2498161 | Phytomedicine | 2006 | 6 Pages |
Abstract
Phytoestrogens are a group of plant-derived biologically active substances with a chemical structure that resembles that of 17β-estradiol (E2). As the presence of estrogen receptors (ER) has been identified in several immune cells, phytoestrogens may also have a great impact on the immune system. The aim of our study was to determine the in vitro effects of genistein and resveratrol on the production of interferon-γ (IFNγ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) by stimulated murine splenocytes and compare them with the effects of natural E2. Phorbol 12-miristate 13-acetate (PMA) together with ionomycin was used to stimulate the cells. E2 and genistein did not show any significant effects on the stimulated production of IFNγ. Resveratrol had a mild inhibitory effect on IFNγ production at the concentration of 10â7 M; however, this difference did not reach statistical significance (p>0.05). IL-10 levels in the splenocytes culture supernatants were found to be increased in the presence of E2, genistein and resveratrol; however, these effects were also not statistically significant. To determine whether the exposure to our studied phytoestrogens induced a shift in the T-helper 1/T-helper 2 (Th1/Th2) balance, we calculated the ratio between the production of IFNγ, the prototypic Th1 cytokine, and the production of IL-10, the prototypic Th2 cytokine, at different concentrations of our tested substances. Genistein at the concentrations of 10â6 and 10â7 M and resveratrol at the concentrations of 10â6 M decreased significantly the IFNγ/IL-10 ratio. This decrease was comparable to that of E2 at the concentrations of 10â7 M. From our in vitro experiments we conclude that genistein and resveratrol, similarly to E2, by decreasing the IFNγ/IL10 ratio may shift the Th1/Th2 balance towards the Th2 response.
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Authors
D. RachoÅ, G. Rimoldi, W. Wuttke,