Adjuvant activities of crude polysaccharides from cultivated Artemisia rupestris L. on TH1-biased response with the induction of DC activation

Artemisia rupestris L. polysaccharides have immune enhancement effects with low toxicity in the previous studies. The effect of crude polysaccharides from cultivated Artemisia rupestris L. (CPCAR) on immunity has not been explored. Here, the adjuvant potential of CPCAR was investigated in vivo and its underlying mechanism in vitro was explored through activation of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). After intramuscular immunizations, CPCAR elevated IgG levels with a TH1-biased response, lymphocyte proliferation and increased CD4 and CD8 T cells in spleen and lymph nodes. IFN-γ and IL-4 of CD8 or CD4 T cells were specifically increased. CPCAR improved DC maturation and diminished Treg frequency. BMDCs treated with CPCAR in vitro showed the up-regulation of CD40, CD86, IL-12 and TNF-α. BMDMs pretreated with TLR4 and NF-kB inhibitors decreased the expressions of CD40 and CD86 and produced less cytokines. These data demonstrated that CPCAR could boost TH1-biased response through DC activation in TLR4/NF-κB signalling.