Saponins from soy bean and mung bean inhibit the antigen specific activation of helper T cells by blocking cell cycle progression

• Published in: Biotechnology letters Vol. 35; no. 2; pp. 165 - 173
• Main Authors: Lee, Suk Jun, Bae, Joonbeom, Kim, Sunhee, Jeong, Seonah, Choi, Chang-Yong, Choi, Sang-Pil, Kim, Hyun-Sook, Jung, Woon-Won, Imm, Jee-Young, Kim, Sae Hun, Chun, Taehoon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.02.2013; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Activation; Antigen presentation; antigen-presenting cells; Antigens; Antigens - immunology; Applied Microbiology; Beans; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Cell cycle; Cell Cycle - drug effects; cell proliferation; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Cytokines - secretion; Fabaceae - chemistry; gene expression; Growth Inhibitors - isolation & purification; Growth Inhibitors - metabolism; interphase; Legumes; Life Sciences; Lymphocytes; major histocompatibility complex; Microbiology; mung beans; Original Research Paper; Phytochemicals; Progressions; Saponins; Saponins - isolation & purification; Saponins - metabolism; Secretions; Soybeans; Stimulation; T-lymphocytes; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - immunology; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer - physiology; Cyclin; Helper T cell; p27; Cell cycle; Saponin
• ISSN: 0141-5492; 1573-6776
• DOI: 10.1007/s10529-012-1060-y

Treatment of helper T (Th) cells with saponins from soy bean and mung bean prevented their activation by inhibiting cell proliferation and cytokine secretion. However, the saponins did not affect the expression of major histocompatibility complex class II (Aᵇ) and co-stimulatory molecule (CD86) on professional antigen-presenting cells. Instead, the saponins directly inhibited Th cell proliferation by blocking the G₁ to S phase cell cycle transition. Moreover, blocking of the cell cycle by the saponins was achieved by decreased expression of cyclin D1 and cyclin E, and constitutive expression of p27ᴷᴵᴾ¹. Saponins also increased stability of p27ᴷᴵᴾ¹ in Th cells after antigenic stimulation.