Biomaterial Database

Trans-urocanic acid, a natural epidermal constituent, inhibits human natural killer cell activity in vitro. 1994

J Uksila, and J K Laihia, and C T Jansén

Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Turku, Finland.

UV irradiation has been reported to influence NK cell function both in vitro and in vivo. Since urocanic acid may mediate UV-induced immune modulation we tested the effect of trans- and cis-urocanic acid (UCA) on the cytotoxic activity of human peripheral blood lymphocytes against the erythroleukemic target cell line K562 in vitro. Trans-UCA was found to be a strong inhibitor of NK cell activity whereas cis-UCA had no effect. Trans-UCA also partially inhibited cytotoxic function of IL-2-activated NK cells and reduced IL-2-induced activation of NK cells. This is the first report describing trans-UCA to be active, and cis-UCA inactive, in regulating an immune function. In the skin, a decrease in epidermal trans-urocanic acid concentration by UV radiation could produce a favorable milieu for NK cell activity, and thus counteract the impairment of antigen-specific immune surveillance, induced by increased cis-urocanic acid concentrations.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007376	Interleukin-2	A soluble substance elaborated by antigen- or mitogen-stimulated T-LYMPHOCYTES which induces DNA synthesis in naive lymphocytes.	IL-2,Lymphocyte Mitogenic Factor,T-Cell Growth Factor,TCGF,IL2,Interleukin II,Interleukine 2,RU 49637,RU-49637,Ro-23-6019,Ro-236019,T-Cell Stimulating Factor,Thymocyte Stimulating Factor,Interleukin 2,Mitogenic Factor, Lymphocyte,RU49637,Ro 23 6019,Ro 236019,Ro236019,T Cell Growth Factor,T Cell Stimulating Factor
D007694	Killer Cells, Natural	Bone marrow-derived lymphocytes that possess cytotoxic properties, classically directed against transformed and virus-infected cells. Unlike T CELLS; and B CELLS; NK CELLS are not antigen specific. The cytotoxicity of natural killer cells is determined by the collective signaling of an array of inhibitory and stimulatory CELL SURFACE RECEPTORS. A subset of T-LYMPHOCYTES referred to as NATURAL KILLER T CELLS shares some of the properties of this cell type.	NK Cells,Natural Killer Cells,Cell, NK,Cell, Natural Killer,Cells, NK,Cells, Natural Killer,Killer Cell, Natural,NK Cell,Natural Killer Cell
D008214	Lymphocytes	White blood cells formed in the body's lymphoid tissue. The nucleus is round or ovoid with coarse, irregularly clumped chromatin while the cytoplasm is typically pale blue with azurophilic (if any) granules. Most lymphocytes can be classified as either T or B (with subpopulations of each), or NATURAL KILLER CELLS.	Lymphoid Cells,Cell, Lymphoid,Cells, Lymphoid,Lymphocyte,Lymphoid Cell
D002478	Cells, Cultured	Cells propagated in vitro in special media conducive to their growth. Cultured cells are used to study developmental, morphologic, metabolic, physiologic, and genetic processes, among others.	Cultured Cells,Cell, Cultured,Cultured Cell
D004817	Epidermis	The external, nonvascular layer of the skin. It is made up, from within outward, of five layers of EPITHELIUM: (1) basal layer (stratum basale epidermidis); (2) spinous layer (stratum spinosum epidermidis); (3) granular layer (stratum granulosum epidermidis); (4) clear layer (stratum lucidum epidermidis); and (5) horny layer (stratum corneum epidermidis).
D004915	Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute	A myeloproliferative disorder characterized by neoplastic proliferation of erythroblastic and myeloblastic elements with atypical erythroblasts and myeloblasts in the peripheral blood.	Di Guglielmo's Disease,Erythremic Myelosis,Erythroblastic Leukemia, Acute,Erythroleukemia,Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute, M6,Myeloid Leukemia, Acute, M6,Di Guglielmo Disease,Acute Erythroblastic Leukemia,Acute Erythroblastic Leukemias,Di Guglielmos Disease,Disease, Di Guglielmo,Disease, Di Guglielmo's,Erythremic Myeloses,Erythroblastic Leukemias, Acute,Erythroleukemias,Leukemia, Acute Erythroblastic,Leukemias, Acute Erythroblastic,Myeloses, Erythremic,Myelosis, Erythremic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000242	Cyclic AMP	An adenine nucleotide containing one phosphate group which is esterified to both the 3'- and 5'-positions of the sugar moiety. It is a second messenger and a key intracellular regulator, functioning as a mediator of activity for a number of hormones, including epinephrine, glucagon, and ACTH.	Adenosine Cyclic 3',5'-Monophosphate,Adenosine Cyclic 3,5 Monophosphate,Adenosine Cyclic Monophosphate,Adenosine Cyclic-3',5'-Monophosphate,Cyclic AMP, (R)-Isomer,Cyclic AMP, Disodium Salt,Cyclic AMP, Monoammonium Salt,Cyclic AMP, Monopotassium Salt,Cyclic AMP, Monosodium Salt,Cyclic AMP, Sodium Salt,3',5'-Monophosphate, Adenosine Cyclic,AMP, Cyclic,Adenosine Cyclic 3',5' Monophosphate,Cyclic 3',5'-Monophosphate, Adenosine,Cyclic Monophosphate, Adenosine,Cyclic-3',5'-Monophosphate, Adenosine,Monophosphate, Adenosine Cyclic
D014407	Tumor Cells, Cultured	Cells grown in vitro from neoplastic tissue. If they can be established as a TUMOR CELL LINE, they can be propagated in cell culture indefinitely.	Cultured Tumor Cells,Neoplastic Cells, Cultured,Cultured Neoplastic Cells,Cell, Cultured Neoplastic,Cell, Cultured Tumor,Cells, Cultured Neoplastic,Cells, Cultured Tumor,Cultured Neoplastic Cell,Cultured Tumor Cell,Neoplastic Cell, Cultured,Tumor Cell, Cultured
D014466	Ultraviolet Rays	That portion of the electromagnetic spectrum immediately below the visible range and extending into the x-ray frequencies. The longer wavelengths (near-UV or biotic or vital rays) are necessary for the endogenous synthesis of vitamin D and are also called antirachitic rays; the shorter, ionizing wavelengths (far-UV or abiotic or extravital rays) are viricidal, bactericidal, mutagenic, and carcinogenic and are used as disinfectants.	Actinic Rays,Black Light, Ultraviolet,UV Light,UV Radiation,Ultra-Violet Rays,Ultraviolet Light,Ultraviolet Radiation,Actinic Ray,Light, UV,Light, Ultraviolet,Radiation, UV,Radiation, Ultraviolet,Ray, Actinic,Ray, Ultra-Violet,Ray, Ultraviolet,Ultra Violet Rays,Ultra-Violet Ray,Ultraviolet Black Light,Ultraviolet Black Lights,Ultraviolet Radiations,Ultraviolet Ray