Glycosides from edible sea cucumbers stimulate macrophages via purinergic receptors

Sci Rep. 2016 Dec 22:6:39683. doi: 10.1038/srep39683.

Abstract

Since ancient times, edible sea cucumbers have been considered a jewel of the seabed and used in Asian folk medicine for stimulation of resistance against different diseases. However, the power of this sea food has not been established on a molecular level. A particular group of triterpene glycosides was found to be characteristic metabolites of the animals, responsible for this biological action. Using one of them, cucumarioside A2-2 (CA2-2) from the edible Cucumaria japonica species as an example as well as inhibitory analysis, patch-clamp on single macrophages, small interfering RNA technique, immunoblotting, SPR analysis, computer modeling and other methods, we demonstrate low doses of CA2-2 specifically to interact with P2X receptors (predominantly P2X4) on membranes of mature macrophages, enhancing the reversible ATP-dependent Ca2+ intake and recovering Ca2+ transport at inactivation of these receptors. As result, interaction of glycosides of this type with P2X receptors leads to activation of cellular immunity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Calcium / chemistry
  • Cucumaria / chemistry*
  • Glycosides / pharmacology*
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / metabolism*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • RNA, Small Interfering / metabolism
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2X / metabolism*
  • Saponins / pharmacology
  • Surface Plasmon Resonance
  • Triterpenes / pharmacology

Substances

  • Glycosides
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Purinergic P2X
  • Saponins
  • Triterpenes
  • cucumarioside A2-2
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Calcium