Allicin stimulates lymphocytes and elicits an antitumor effect: a possible role of p21ras

Int Immunol. 2004 Feb;16(2):275-81. doi: 10.1093/intimm/dxh038.

Abstract

Allicin, the main organic allyl sulfur component in garlic, exhibits immune-stimulatory and antitumor properties. Allicin stimulated [(3)H]thymidine incorporation in mouse splenocytes and enhanced cell-mediated cytotoxicity in human peripheral mononuclear cells. Multiple administration (i.p.) of allicin elicited a marked antitumor effect in mice inoculated with B-16 melanoma and MCA-105 fibrosarcoma. The immune-stimulatory and antitumor effects of allicin are characterized by a bell-shaped curve, i.e. allicin at high, supra-optimal concentrations is less effective or inhibitory. Allicin induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) in human peripheral mononuclear cells, and also in wild-type Jurkat T-cells. Allicin failed to activate ERK1/2 in Jurkat T cells that express p21(ras), in which Cys118 was replaced by Ser. These cells are not susceptible to redox-stress modification and activation. We postulate that the immune stimulatory effect of allicin is mediated by redox-sensitive signaling such as activation of p21(ras). It is suggested that the antitumor effect of allicin is related to its immune-stimulatory properties.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Animals
  • Anti-Infective Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cytotoxicity, Immunologic
  • Disulfides
  • Enzyme Activation / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects*
  • Macrophages / immunology
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / immunology
  • Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / genetics
  • Oncogene Protein p21(ras) / metabolism*
  • Oxidation-Reduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Sulfinic Acids / pharmacology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Disulfides
  • Sulfinic Acids
  • allicin
  • Oncogene Protein p21(ras)