I am testing inflammatory properties of a marine sponge extract. this extract gave anti inflammatory activity in first 2 hours with respect to the low doses in carrageenin induced paw oedema test and anti inflammatory activity for leukocyte migration in vivo test (for peritoneal macrophages)using mice, for all the doses. Can this be explainable? Can these two properties present in the same compound (this is an extract which is not fractionated)?
You have a mixed extract with potentially 100s of biologically active compounds. Thus, this is almost to be expected. Further purification is indicated.
Yes, it is absolutely possible. This is likely due to the presence of Natural Killer T cells . Please look at alpha-galactocylceramide (a marine sponge derivative) that activates NKT cells. In the first few hours you get a Th2 immune response, but this quickly changes to Th1 response. Let me know if you have any further questions and i will be glad to clarify.
It is possible to detect in the same cell culture medium both proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines ( Th1/Th2 immune response); ( my example is - lymph node T lymphocytes from DBA 1 mice with collagen induced RA).
I agree that it is possible to have both types of activity in the same extract. We work with plant extracts (which I assume like sponge extracts) are complex mixtures of different compounds. Just to rule it out before you get really invested in the pro-inflammatory compound, you should also check whether your extract might be contaminated with LPS which could explain your pro-inflammatory activity.
thank you very much for your valuable comments which mean a lot for me.Dr Simon, thank you very much for willing to help me..thanks
1. I agree with Herjan Koopman that the question in the title (inflammatory vs anti-inflammatory) does not match the text where “anti-inflammatory vs anti-inflammatory” is mentioned.
2. To answer the real question i.e. the one in the title:
Yes, the same molecule of cytokine e.g. (if indeed we are dealing with a specific molecule not with a mixture as is the case here) can be pro-inflammatory or anti-inflammatory depending on:
A. The stage of the inflammatory process
B. The receptor that binds it.
Example: Interleukin-1 binds to a membrane-bound receptor and gives inflammatory effect. If it binds to a soluble receptor, the inflammatory effect is aborted. Also receptor IL-1RI acts as pro-inflammatory while IL-1RII acts as decoy receptor and does not transducer the signal.
- Badges
- Science method