In Vitro Testing for Antiinflammatory Properties of Compounds

Singh et al. (1) recently proposed the application of the human myelomonocytic cell line THP-1 to test for effects of potential antiinflammatory drugs and compounds. THP-1 cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide for 4 to 24 h, and the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was assessed. Results showed that various dietary supplements as well as pharmacologic agents significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-stimulated TNF-α release (1). Interestingly, this assay matches almost perfectly one we proposed that also uses THP-1 cells but uses neopterin production as a read-out for monitoring potential antiinflammatory effects of compounds (2). After publication of that report, we observed that drugs usually exert more important effects on the T-cell/macrophage interplay than on the stimulated monocytic cells themselves and thereby on the Th1-type cytokine interferon-γ, which is crucially important as a proinflammatory mediator. Unfortunately, because we used only THP-1 cells, potential effects of compounds …