IgE Suppression by Cellulose Sulfate

Background: Immunoglobulin (Ig) E plays an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases such as atopic dermatitis and allergic asthma. We previously reported that a sulfate polysaccharide, fucoidan, suppressed IgE production by murine B cells in vitro. However, the mechanism by which fucoidan suppresses IgE production remains unclear. Objective: We incorporated sulfate groups into cellulose and studied their biological characteristics in vitro to explore the possibility of converting biologically neutral polysaccharides to active reagents with antiallergic functions. Material and Methods: Cellulose was chemically processed using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) and DMF-sulfurtrioxide and recovered as cellulose sulfate with a molecular weight of around 10 kDa. We then studied the effect of cellulose sulfate on IgE production from B cells, IgE class-switching, and populations of IgE-secreting B cells prepared from murine spleen. We also investigated the effects of sulfated cellulose on the production of interleukin (IL) 4 and interferon (IFN) γ and the expression of T-bet mRNA by splenic T cells. The cytotoxicity of cellulose sulfate was also examined. Results: Cellulose sulfate suppressed IgE production in B cells stimulated with IL-4 and anti-CD40 antibody by inhibiting IgE class-switch recombination and decreasing the number of IgE-secreting B cells in vitro. Moreover, both cellulose sulfate and fucoidan suppressed IL-4 production and enhanced IFN-γ production by murine T cells stimulated with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies, despite the decrease in T-bet mRNA expression. Conclusions: Cellulose gains an antiallergic effect on B cells and T cells with the addition of sulfate groups.