Identification of crassin acetate as a new immunosuppressant triggering heme oxygenase-1 expression in dendritic cells.

By screening 720 natural compounds in a standard 2-way allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction assay, we identified a potent immunosuppressive capacity of crassin acetate (CRA), a coral-derived cembrane diterpenoid. CRA efficiently inhibited allogeneic mixed leukocyte reaction as well as antigen-specific activation of CD4 T cells by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs). With regard to cellular targets, CRA suppressed not only mitogen-triggered T-cell activation, but also lipopolysaccharide-induced DC maturation, indicating dual functionality. Treatment with CRA at nontoxic doses induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA/protein expression and HO-1 enzymatic activity in DCs, suggesting a unique mechanism of action. In fact, lipopolysaccharide-induced DC maturation was also inhibited by structurally unrelated compounds known to induce HO-1 expression or carbon monoxide (CO) release. Allergic contact hypersensitivity response to oxazolone and oxazolone-induced Langerhans cell migration from epidermis were both prevented almost completely by systemic administration of CRA. Not only do our results support the recent concept that HO-1/CO system negatively regulates immune responses, they also form both conceptual and technical frameworks for a more systematic, large-scale drug discovery effort to identify HO-1/CO-targeted immunosuppressants with dual target specificity.