Absolute configuration of tetrandrine and isotetrandrine influences their anti-proliferation effects in human T cells via different regulation of NF-κB.

Natural compound tetrandrine was reported to inhibit the proliferation of T cells by inhibiting activation of NF-κB. Chemically, isotetrandrine differs from tetrandrine only in the stereochemistry at the chiral centers. The present study aimed to compare their anti-proliferation effects on human T cells with a focus on NF-κB. The IC values of tetrandrine against MOLT-4 cells, MOLT-4/DNR cells, and concanavalin A-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy subjects and dialysis patients were 4.43 ± 0.22, 3.62 ± 0.22, 1.91 ± 0.22 and 3.03 ± 0.28 μM, respectively. Whereas, the IC values of isotetrandrine against the above immune cells were 2.19 ± 0.27, 2.28 ± 0.33, 1.29 ± 0.14 and 1.55 ± 0.26 μM, respectively. The inhibitory effect of isotetrandrine against the proliferation of T cells was stronger than that of tetrandrine significantly ( < 0.05). Molecular mechanism investigation showed that 10 μM of isotetrandrine largely decreased the expression of p-NF-κB and NF-κB in both MOLT-4 and MOLT-4/DNR T cells ( < 0.05), whereas 10 μM of tetrandrine slightly inhibited the phosphorylation of p-NF-κB with little influence on the expression of NF-κB. Taken together, absolute configurations of tetrandrine and isotetrandrine are suggested to influence on their anti-proliferation effects in human T cells via different regulation of NF-κB.