18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid의 면역보조제효능에 의한 항 전신성캔디다증 효과

18β-Glycyrrhetinic Acid Induces Protective Anti-Candida albicans Antibody by Its Immunoadjuvant Activity

The role of antibody in the fungal infections is controversial. However, our previous reports showed a certain epitope in Candida albicans cell wall (CACW) induces protective antibody. A major problem is that the epitope isolation requires tremendous time with high cost. This aspect led us to investigate a simple way inducing protective antibodies against C. albicans. In the present study, we determined if 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid (18β-GA) from Glabrae Radix (a family of Leguminosae) has immunoadjuvant activity. Data displayed that the 18β-GA suppressed proliferations of both T- and Blymphocytes at high concentrations, whereas below 20 μM concentration the compound supported the proliferations. These observations indicate that 18β-GA has immunoregulatory activity. Based on this observation, an immunoadjuvant effect was examined at the low concentration. Results from animal experiments showed that CACW combined with or without 18β- GA produced the anti-C. albicans antiserum in mice. Nevertheless, the CACW combined with 18β-GA formula only protected mice against disseminated candidiasis (P<0.05). These data implicate that 18β-GA has immunoadjuvant activity, which may provoke the CACW antigen to induce protective antibody. Currently, we are investigating possible mechanism of how the 18β-GA provokes such protective immunity against the disseminated disease.