<it>Eriobotrya japonica </it>hydrophilic extract modulates cytokines in normal tissues, in the tumor of Meth-A-fibrosarcoma bearing mice, and enhances their survival time

Abstract

Abstract Background Cytokines play a key role in the immune response to developing tumors, and therefore modulating their levels and actions provides innovative strategies for enhancing the activity of antigen presenting cells and polarizing towards T helper 1 type response within tumor microenvironment. One of these approaches could be the employment of plant extracts that have cytokine immunomodulation capabilities. Previously, we have shown that the Eriobotrya japonica hydrophilic extract (EJHE) induces proinflammatory cytokines in vitro and in vivo. Methods The present study explored the in vivo immunomodulatory effect on interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-17 (IL-17), and transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1) evoked by two water-extracts prepared from EJ leaves in the tissues of normal and Meth-A-fibrosarcoma bearing mice. Results Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of 10 μg of EJHE and EJHE-water residue (WR), prepared from butanol extraction, increased significantly IFN-γ production in the spleen (p Conclusions The therapeutic value of EJHE-WR as an anticancer agent merits further investigation of understanding the effect of immunomodulators' constituents on the cellular components of the tissue microenvironment. This can lead to the development of improved strategies for cancer treatment and thus opening up a new frontier for future studies.