Cotton bract tannin: a novel human T-lymphocyte mitogen and a possible causative agent of byssinosis

• Published in: International archives of allergy and applied immunology Vol. 87; no. 1; p. 14
• Main Authors: Vuk-Pavlović, Z, Russell, J A, Rohrbach, M S
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland 1988
• Subjects: Antigen-Presenting Cells - physiology; Byssinosis - etiology; Dose-Response Relationship, Immunologic; Dust; Gossypium - immunology; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Lectins; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Lymphocyte Activation - drug effects; Monocytes - immunology; Plant Lectins; T-Lymphocytes - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes - immunology; Tannins - pharmacology
• ISSN: 0020-5915

Cotton bract tannin, a major organic component of cotton dust, was tested for mitogenic activity upon human T lymphocytes. Tannin caused polyclonal activation of human T lymphocytes in vitro. The pattern of T-cell response to tannin was similar to the pattern seen in lymphocytes stimulated with the well-known plant lectin T-cell mitogens, PHA and ConA. The response to tannin was shown to be dependent upon tannin dose and presence of monocytes. The maximum response occurred after 3-4 days in culture with the magnitude comparable to the one achieved by ConA. Lipopolysaccharide from Enterobacter agglomerans, a major contaminant of cotton dust, was shown not to be a mediator of tannin mitogenicity in vitro. A role for tannin as a polyclonal cell activator and, therefore, a possible etiologic agent of byssinosis is suggested by these observations.