Cannabidiol attenuates delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Cannabidiol attenuates delayed-type hypersensitivity reactions via suppressing T-cell and macrophage reactivity.
Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2010 Dec;31(12):1611-7. Epub 2010 Nov 1. PMID: 21042286
Graduate Institute of Biomedical Materials and Engineering, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan, China.
Aim:To investigate the effects cannabidiol (CBD) on delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) reactions and antigen-induced T-cell cytokine expression.Methods:DTH was induced by subcutaneous ovalbumin (OVA) challenge to the footpads of mice sensitized with OVA. Inflammatory reactions were measured by footpad swelling and histological analysis. Antigen-induced cytokine expression by OVA-primed splenocytes was measured using ELISA and RT-PCR.Results:CBD (1-10 mg/kg) administration, in a dose-dependent fashion, significantly attenuated inflammatory reactions associated with DTH in the footpads of mice sensitized and challenged with OVA. Histological examination revealed that CBD suppressed the infiltration of T cells and macrophages, and the expression of interferon (IFN)-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α, two pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in DTH in the inflammatory site. In contrast, the expression of interleukin (IL)-10 in the footpads was enhanced by CBD administration. In addition, CBD at concentrations devoid of cytotoxic effects (1-4 μmol/L) attenuated OVA-induced IFN-γ production by OVA-primed splenocytes, whereas IL-4 was unaffected.Conclusion:CBD curbs DTH reactions via suppressing the infiltration and functional activity of T cells and macrophages in the inflammatory site, suggesting a therapeutic potential for CBD for the treatment of type IVhypersensitivity.