Immobilization of gold nanoparticles on folate-conjugated dendritic mesoporous silica-coated reduced graphene oxide nanosheets: a new nanoplatform for curcumin pH-controlled and targeted delivery.

A nanocarrier for curcumin targeted delivery and cell imaging was prepared by immobilization of gold NPs on the folic acid-modified dendritic mesoporous silica-coated reduced graphene oxide nanosheets.</p

Identification of spathulenol in Salvia mirzayanii and the immunomodulatory effects

The methanol extract of Salvia mirzayanii has shown an immunomodulatory effect on peripheral blood lymphocytes. Bioassay‐guided fractionation using a lymphocyte proliferation assay on Salvia mirzayanii was performed in order to purify and identify the active compounds. Fractionation of the methanol extract and purification of the components using normal column chromatography and preparative thin layer chromatography resulted in identification of the bioactive compound, spathulenol, with an immunoinhibitory effect. Identification of this compound was performed by 1D and 2D NMR methods and HRMS. Treatment of activated lymphocytes with a concentrated fraction containing 62% of spathulenol (SP) showed a decrease in the proliferation of lymphocytes with an IC50 of 85.4 ± 11.08 µg/mL. Flow cytometry analysis using annexin V and propidium iodide staining of the stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes in the presence of SP demonstrated a dose dependent increase in the percentage of apoptotic cells (IC50; 77.2 ± 5.31 µg/mL). No significant increase in caspase 3 activity in a 20 h treatment of stimulated lymphocytes compared with the control was observed. In conclusion, this study identified the possible activity of spathulenol as one of the immunomodulatory compounds present in Salvia mirzayanii. SP showed the capacity to inhibit proliferation in the lymphocytes and to induce apoptosis in these cells possibly through a caspase‐3 independent pathway

Silymarin suppress CD4+ T cell activation and proliferation: Effects on NF-kB activity and IL-2 production

Silymarin, a mixture of bioactive flavonolignans isolated from Silybum marianum, exhibits anti-carcinogenic, anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects. In this study, the in vitro immunomodulatory activity of silymarin was investigated using CD4+ splenocytes from C57/Bl6 mice. Proliferation assay revealed that silymarin, at 50. μM concentration, significantly inhibited CD4+ cells proliferation. ELISA analyses indicated that silymarin significantly inhibited IL-2 and IFN-γ production. Immunofluorescence staining performed on the mouse hybridoma T cell line (3DO) revealed a block of nuclear translocation of transcription factor κB (NF-κB), which is known to be responsible for IL-2 transcriptional activation. Moreover, silymarin inhibited p65/NF-κB phosphorylation in CD4+ T cell. These results suggest that silymarin is able to inhibit T cell activation and proliferation, notably acting on pathways of NF-κB activation/translocation