The human mast cell is an effector cells in allergic inflammation and secrete a number of cytokines. Many allergic inflammations could be reduced with green tea treatments. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate(EGCG), the main polyphenol component in green tea, on pro-inflammatory cytokine productions(IL-1 β, IL-6, TNF-α) and immune-regulating cytokine productions that promote the growth and differentiation of lymphocytes(IL-2, IFN-γ) in I uM calcium-inonphore-A23178-activated human mast cell line HMC-1.
Cytokines are immune regulating proteins secreted by many types of cells in the body. The effects of cytokines are pleiotypic actions on the immune system and inflammation. In this study, the effect of EGCG on the expression of cytokines was examined by RT-PCR using the human mast cell line(HMC-1), which is known to secrete and expressed, and expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ were also increased. In order to investigate the protective effect of EGCG, HMC-1 cells were incubated with pretreatment of EGCG for 24 h. RT-PCR analyses of cytokine genes of cells pretreated with EGCG showed that expressions of IL-1 β, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-2 genes in these cells were lower and IFN-γ was similar pattern compared to the calcium ionophore-treated group. This study would provide fundamental data on the possibility of the clinical treatment of green tea in immune diseases such as allergic disorder, asthma and atopic dermatitis, etc.
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