Modulatory Effects of 6‐Carboxymethylthiopurine on Activated Murine Macrophages

Abstract

The immunological activity of macrophages against pathogens in hosts includes the phagocytosis and the production of nitric oxide. We report herein the investigation of the effect of 6‐carboxymethylthiopurine on nitric oxide production by murine macrophages as well as its effect on the cell viability and proliferation after stimulus with Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette–Guérin, interferon‐gamma or a combination of both. J774A.1 macrophages stimulated or not by bacille Calmette–Guérin (20 μg/mL), interferon‐gamma or both, were cultured in the presence of 6‐carboxymethylthiopurine (125, 250 and 500 μm). Nitric oxide production was measured by the Griess method and cell viability/proliferation by the diphenyltetrazolium assay [3‐(4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2, 5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide]. We observed an increase of J774A.1 cell proliferation after stimulus with bacille Calmette–Guérin at 125, 250 and 500 μm (69.1, 124.0 and 89.7%, respectively) and with interferon‐gamma at 125 and 250 μm (64.8% and 61.7%, respectively) (p < 0.05). In all cultures treated with 6‐carboxymethylthiopurine, interferon‐gamma‐activated nitric oxide production by J774A.1 cells decreased as well as when subjected to interferon‐gamma plus bacille Calmette–Guérin stimuli at 500 μm (p < 0.05). Altogether these data point to an anti‐inflammatory effect of 6‐carboxymethylthiopurine on stimulated macrophages.

In Vitro Immunostimulation Activity of Nigella Sativa Linn. And Psoralea Corylifolia Linn. Seeds Using a Murine Macrophage Cell Line

“…Ethanol extract of N. sativa and P. corylifolia seeds assessed for cell proliferation assay, induced an increase in cell proliferation depending on the varying concentrations. In previous reports, 6-carboxymethylthiopurine, an anti-inflammatory drug and the hot-water extract of Sargassum hemiphyllum was reported to stimulate proliferation of J774A.1 cell [21,22]. The proliferation stimuli were dose dependent in earlier reports, where maximum proliferation was obtained from higher concentration.…”