Aging influences the response of T cells to stimulation by the ellagitannin, oenothein B

Abstract

Several plant extracts, including certain polyphenols, prime innate lymphocytes and enhance responses to secondary stimuli. Oenothein B, a polyphenol isolated from Epilobium angustifolium and other plant sources, enhances IFNγ production by both bovine and human NK cells and T cells, alone and in response to secondary stimulation by cytokines or tumor cells. Innate immune cell responsiveness is known to be affected by aging, but whether polyphenol responses by these cells are also impacted by aging is not known. Therefore, we examined oenothein B responsiveness in T cells from cord blood, young, and adult donors. We found that oenothein B stimulates bovine and human T cells from individuals over a broad range of ages, as measured by increased IL-2Rα and CD69 expression. However, clear differences in induction of cytokine production by T cells were seen. In T cells from human cord blood and bovine calves, oenothein B was unable to induce IFNγ production. However, oenothein B induced IFNγ production by T cells from adult humans and cattle. In addition, oenothein B induced GM-CSF production by human adult T cells, but not cord blood T cells. Within the responsive T cell population, we found that CD45RO+ memory T cells expressed more cytokines in response to oenothein B than CD45RO− T cells. In summary, our data suggest that the immunostimulation of T cells by oenothein B is influenced by age, particularly with respect to immune cytokine production.

Epilobium spp: Pharmacology and Phytochemistry

“…IFNγ production in both bovine and human NK and T cells, but it is unable in human cord blood and bovine calves (Ramstead et al, 2015).…”

“…Data suggest that age is an important factor to be taken into account when using polyphenol‐rich supplements to enhance immunity, because of the clear differences in citochine production T cells‐induced. Oenothein B induces IFNγ production in both bovine and human NK and T cells, but it is unable in human cord blood and bovine calves (Ramstead et al, ).…”

Therapeutic Potential of Polyphenols from Epilobium Angustifolium (Fireweed)

“…Over 100 compounds have been identified in different materials from the Epilobium genus [reviewed in ], with polyphenols being the predominant constituent. Indeed, it is thought that polyphenols of E. angustifolium could explain, at least in part, many of the therapeutic and beneficial properties of this plant because of the known immunomodulatory properties of polyphenols (Holderness et al, 2007;Ramiro-Puig et al, 2008;Schepetkin et al, 2009;Daughenbaugh et al, 2011;Holderness et al, 2011;Skyberg et al, 2011;Ramstead et al, 2012;Ramstead et al, 2015).…”

“…Biological activities of oenothein B include antioxidant, immunomodulatory, tumor cell cytotoxicity, enzyme inhibition, and enzyme induction (Miyamoto et al, 1993a;Miyamoto et al, 1993b;Aoki et al, 1995;Lesuisse et al, 1996;Sakagami et al, 2000;Kiss et al, 2006b;Kiss et al, 2006a;Kiss et al, 2011;Stolarczyk et al, 2013b) ( Table 3). Much of the research on oenothein B has (Miyamoto et al, 1993a;Miyamoto et al, 1993b) Stimulate Ca 2+ flux and ROS production in neutrophils (Schepetkin et al, 2009) Stimulated NF-kB activation and production of TNF and IL-6 in human monocytic THP-1 cells (Schepetkin et al, 2009) Activates NK cells, αβ T cells, and γδ T cells, resulting in increased expression of the activation marker CD69 and IFNγ production (Ramstead et al, 2012) Induces more IFNγ production by CD45RO + memory T cells compared with naïve T cells (Ramstead et al, 2015) Scavenger of ROS (O 2 À. and H 2 O 2 ) (Schepetkin et al, 2009;Kiss et al, 2011;Granica et al, 2015) Inhibits mouse mammary tumor virus transcription in 34I cells (Aoki et al, 1995) Antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori (Funatogawa et al, 2004).…”

“…Treatment with oenothein B also enhanced interferon γ (IFNγ) production by αβ T cells, γδ T cells, and NK cells in response to secondary stimuli, including IL-18 and a tumor cell line (Ramstead et al, 2012). Oenothein B activated T cells from both young and adult individuals, although higher levels of IFNγ were produced by T cells from adults compared with those from young individuals after oenothein B treatment (Ramstead et al, 2015). Furthermore, oenothein B induced more IFNγ production by CD45RO + memory T cells compared with naïve T cells (Ramstead et al, 2015).…”