Immunosuppressive potential of Botryosphaeria dothidea, an endophyte isolated from Kigelia africana. (January 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Katoch, Meenu; Khajuria, Anamika; Sharma, P. R.; Saxena, Ajit Kumar
• Is Part Of: Pharmaceutical biology. Volume 53:Number 1(2015:Jan.)
• Page Start: 85
• Page End: 91
• Publication Date: 2015-01
• Subjects: Pharmacognosy -- Periodicals; Materia medica, Vegetable -- Periodicals; 615.321
• DOI: 10.3109/13880209.2014.910673
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1388-0209

Abstract

<abstract> <title>Abstract</title> <p> <italic>Context</italic>: For years, natural products from microbes have been used as drugs. Endophytes are the most important fungi that produce many novel metabolites for potential use in pharmacology and agriculture.</p> <p> <italic>Objective</italic>: The objective of the present study was to explore new endophytes for novel natural products.</p> <p> <italic>Materials and methods</italic>: An endophyte BAK-I was isolated from the bark of <italic>Kigelia africana</italic> (Lam.) Beneth (Bignoniaceae). BAK-I was characterized morphologically and on the basis of ITS-5.8S rDNA sequences. BAK-I was fermented to yield an extract, which was evaluated for its anticancer, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory activities, using MTT, agar well-diffusion, tube dilution method, lymphocyte proliferation, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α) (by macrophages) evaluation assays. For lymphocyte proliferation and pro-inflammatory cytokines studies, four concentrations were evaluated 10, 30, 100, and 1000 µg/mL and the experiments were conducted for 72 and 48 h, respectively.</p> <p> <italic>Results and discussion</italic>: The BAK-I showed pink cottony growth. SEM studies showed smooth fusoid-oblong conidia with a truncated base. Furthermore, ITS-5.8S rDNA sequence showed 99% homology with the <italic>Botryosphaeria dothidea</italic> strain suggestin<italic>g</italic> that the endophyte is a strain of the genus <italic>Botryosphaeria</italic>. Less than 50% growth inhibition of SF295, Lung A-549, and THP-1 cancer cell lines after treatment with BAK-I extract suggested that it did not have significant cytotoxic potential, whereas it is bactericidal for Gram-positive pathogens MRSA and VRE with MIC value 200 and 250 µg/mL, respectively. To elucidate its immunomodulation potential, splenocyte proliferation studies showed that BAK-1 suppressed the T cell proliferation by 50%. TNF-α evaluation studies also showed that the extract inhibited TNF-α production in a concentration-dependent manner suggesting that it had immunosuppressive potential. Inhibition at 10 µg/mL was found to be 55% as against 48% using β-methasone.</p> <p> <italic>Conclusion</italic>: The results suggested that BAK-I extract can be used as a potential immunosuppressive agent.</p> </abstract>