Secoemestrin C inhibits the proliferation of liver mononuclear
cells (MNCs) and the production of cytokines induced by Con A in vitro
Tissue-resident immune cells play a key role in local and systemic
immune responses. To determine whether secoemestrin C can also inhibit
the activation of liver-resident lymphocytes, liver MNCs were isolated
from normal mice and stimulated by Con A in vitro . FACS analysis
showed that the isolated hepatic MNCs included 30.74 ± 4.08% natural
killer T (NKT) cells and 23.78 ± 1.18% conventional T cells (Fig. 2A,
B). In response to Con A stimulation, hepatic MNCs strongly proliferated
and released large amounts of cytokines, including IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-6,
IL-17, TNF-ɑ, and IL-4 (Fig. 2C-J). Interestingly, secoemestrin C
treatment significantly attenuated Con A-stimulated liver MNC
proliferation and cytokine production in a dose-dependent manner (Fig.
2C-H, J). Above all, secoemestrin C was able to restrain hepatic
lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine production in vitro , which
may enable it to exert an in vivo protective effect on Con
A-induced and T cell-mediated autoimmune hepatitis in mice.