Enhancement of CD3AK cell proliferation and killing ability by α-Thujone

• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2015.11.027
• Publication Date: 2015-12-01T14:30:18Z
• Authors: Yu Zhou; Jun-quan Liu; Zhong-hai Zhou; Xiao-ting LV; Yong-qiang Chen; Lei-qing Sun; Fu-xing Chen
• Keywords: Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; 0301 basic medicine; CD3 Complex; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Cancer Vaccines; Immunotherapy, Adoptive; Antibodies; 3. Good health; 03 medical and health sciences; Artemisia; Lysosomal-Associated Membrane Protein 1; Cell Line, Tumor; Colonic Neoplasms; Monoterpenes; Humans; Monocytes, Activated Killer; Phosphorylation; Salvia officinalis; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; Bicyclic Monoterpenes; Cell Proliferation

Thujone is a monoterpene ketone natural substance found mainly in wormwood and sage. Previous studies have shown that Thujone has various pharmacological effects, such as anti-tumor, analgesic, and insecticide. The effect of α-Thujone to human immune cells is still unknown. Our study focuses on investigating the effects and mechanism of α-Thujone to CD3AK (anti- CD3 antibody induced activated killer) cells proliferation and cytotoxicity to colon cancer cell lines. With cell proliferation and FCM assay, it is found that α-Thujone could significantly enhance CD3AK cell proliferation and expression of CD107a in a dose-dependent manner. The cytotoxicity to colon cancer cells detected by CCK-8 assay is also improved. The expressions of TNF-α and FasL detected with ELISA assay were not significantly changed. Mechanically, the study shows that α-Thujone could enhance the expression of p-ERK1/2 and p-Akt. In addition, α-Thujone has no cytotoxicity to HCT116 and SW620 cells proliferation. In a word, α-Thujone enhances CD3AK cell proliferation and cytotoxicity via the improvement of expression of CD107a, p-Akt and p-ERK1/2.