Modulation of immune cell proliferation by glycerol monolaurate

K J Witcher; R P Novick; P M Schlievert

doi:10.1128/cdli.3.1.10-13.1996

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Modulation of immune cell proliferation by glycerol monolaurate

Journal article

Open access

Modulation of immune cell proliferation by glycerol monolaurate

K J Witcher, R P Novick and P M Schlievert

Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology, Vol.3(1), pp.10-13

01/1996

DOI: 10.1128/cdli.3.1.10-13.1996

PMID: 8770497

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Abstract

Previous studies have shown that glycerol monolaurate (GML), a surfactant commonly used in a wide variety of food and cosmetic products, inhibits the production of a variety of exotoxins by group A streptococci and staphylococci. Given the highly lipophilic nature of the structure of GML, it is suspected that the surfactant exerts its toxin inhibition effects via interaction with the cell membrane. The present study attempted to characterize some of the potential targets of GML action using the model system of lymphocyte activation. Results from murine splenocytes show that GML stimulates proliferation at concentrations between 10(-5) and 5 micrograms/ml/5 x 10(5) splenocytes. At concentrations greater than 5 micrograms/ml, GML inhibited lymphocyte proliferation and blocked the proliferative effects of the lymphocyte mitogens phorbol myristate acetate and concanavalin A and the potent T-cell mitogen toxic shock syndrome toxin-1. Studies using purified immune cell subsets indicated that GML at a concentration of 0.1 microgram/ml optimally induced proliferation of T cells but did not affect B cells. At higher concentrations, GML inhibited the toxic shock syndrome toxin-1 mitogenic effects on T cells, but did not inhibit the lipopolysaccharide-induced stimulation of B cells, suggesting that GML preferentially affects the T-cell population. GML-induced proliferation was blocked by the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin A, suggesting that GML may be exerting its T-cell-proliferative effects along the calcium-dependent inositol phospholipid signal transduction pathway.

Spleen - immunology

Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate - pharmacology

Mitogens - pharmacology

Concanavalin A - pharmacology

Cyclosporine - pharmacology

Spleen - drug effects

Signal Transduction - immunology

Interleukin-2 - immunology

Bacterial Toxins

T-Lymphocytes - drug effects

Female

Immunosuppressive Agents - pharmacology

Cell Membrane - drug effects

Monoglycerides

Spleen - cytology

Surface-Active Agents - pharmacology

B-Lymphocytes - drug effects

Glycerides - pharmacology

Animals

B-Lymphocytes - immunology

Signal Transduction - drug effects

Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects

Superantigens

Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology

Laurates - pharmacology

T-Lymphocytes - immunology

Cell Membrane - immunology

Mice

Mice, Inbred BALB C

In Vitro Techniques

Enterotoxins - pharmacology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Modulation of immune cell proliferation by glycerol monolaurate
Creators: K J Witcher - Department of Microbiology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis 55455, USA
R P Novick
P M Schlievert
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Clinical and diagnostic laboratory immunology, Vol.3(1), pp.10-13
DOI: 10.1128/cdli.3.1.10-13.1996
PMID: 8770497
NLM abbreviation: Clin Diagn Lab Immunol
ISSN: 1071-412X
eISSN: 1098-6588
Publisher: United States
Grant note: AI 22159 / NIAID NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 01/1996
Academic Unit: Microbiology and Immunology; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984001230002771

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