Inhibitory activity of stilbenes from medicinal plants on the expression of cell adhesion molecules on THP1 cells

The inhibitory activity of stilbenes isolated from medicinal plants on cell adhesion molecules on the surface of THP-1 human monocytic cell lines was investigated. Among ten stilbenes tested, four stilbenes displayed a signif icant inhibitory activity on the expression of both intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1). A cell- to-cell adhesion assay showed that 3,5-dihydroxy-4'-methoxystilbene and 2,3 ,4':5-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-beta-(D)-glucopyranoside as well as resverat rol blocked significantly TNF-alpha -inducing cell-cell adhesion between hu man umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and THP-1 cells.