A New Method for Screening Natural Products to Stimulate IFN-γ Production in Jurkat Human T Lymphocytes. (January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ouyang, Yan; Zhong, Xiaoming; Liao, Hongqun; Zhu, Pengcheng; Luo, Kaiyuan; Zhu, Huifang
• Is Part Of: SLAS discovery. Volume 26:Number 1(2021)
• Page Start: 130
• Page End: 139
• Publication Date: 2021-01
• Subjects: IFN-γ -- natural products -- high-content screening -- Astragalus polyphenols -- 6-shogaol; Drugs -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Drugs -- Testing -- Periodicals; Biomolecules -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Biomolecules -- Analysis; Drugs -- Analysis; Drugs -- Testing; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Molecular Biology -- methods; Periodicals; Periodicals; 615.1
• DOI: 10.1177/2472555220922475
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2472-5552

Abstract

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) is a critical cytokine in the defense against viral and bacterial infection. It is mainly produced by natural killer cells and activated T cells. Given its regulatory role in coordinating cellular and humoral immune responses, IFN-γ is considered to be an effective therapeutic agent in the treatment of viral infection. Here we established a fluorescence-based high-content screening model to find small molecules that can stimulate the production of IFN-γ in human Jurkat cells. After a primary screening of 267 natural products, two hits, Astragalus polyphenols and 6-shogaol, were identified to promote the activity of the IFN-γ promoter and subsequently validated by the flow cytometry assay. Obviously, both Astragalus polyphenols and 6-shogaol exhibited potential to induce the transcription and expression of IFN-γ in a dose-dependent manner. These results indicated that our high-content screening model could be a credible and useful platform to contribute to the discovery of novel molecules to promote the expression of IFN-γ and provide leading compounds for the treatment of viral infectious diseases.