Changes in serum levels of cytokines in mice injected with an immunostimulator C3bgp isolated from Cuscuta europea

Taq-I polymorphism in 3′UTR of the IL-12B and association with IL-12p40 production from human PBMC

“…16 To study the relation between genotype and phenotype, we investigated in vitro IL-12p40 secretion by PBMC from a limited group of healthy Bulgarians (n ¼ 25) after stimulation with: C3bgp, bacterial immunomodulator lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and two well-known plant immunomodulators-phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and pokeweed mitogen (PWM). C3bgp was isolated from a total water extract of the seeds of the parasitic plant Cuscuta europea by affinity chromatography as described by Zhelev et al 17 Previously, we have reported that C3bgp has immunomodulatory activity and induces a specific group of cytokines in mice 18 triggering mainly mononuclear phagocytes. Significantly higher secretion of IL-12p40 was observed after stimulation of PBMC compared to nonstimulated PBMC, and the highest level was observed after stimulation with C3bgp.…”

C3 binding glycoprotein from Cuscuta europea induced different cytokine profiles from human PBMC compared to other plant and bacterial immunomodulators

“…Previously, we have reported that C3bgp had the ability to induce a specific group of cytokines in mice, including higher level of IFN-g [9]. Therefore, C3bgp has the capacity to induce in vivo and/or in vitro the key cytokines directing the immune response to Th1 cell-mediated response.…”

“…The experimental evidence presented in our previous reports showed that C3bgp has strong immunostimulatory properties both in vivo and in vitro in mice [8,9]. It was of interest to investigate its role in cytokine production after in vitro stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).…”