Abstract:The effect of tea tree oil on the phenotypic and functional maturation of dendritic cell was investigated in vitro. Dendritic cells treated with tea tree oil (0.005 ?L/mL), were enlarged, suspended, and displayed typical stellate and aggregates like cells treated with LPS (positive controls). The levels of surface marker expression were monitored throughout the culture by flow cytometry using CD11c-PEcy7, I-Ab-FITC, CD86-FITC, and H-2Db-PE. Dendritic cells treated with tea tree oil expressed higher level of H-2Db (48.20%), costimulatory molecule I-Ab (6.60%) and CD86 (41.00%) with the cells gated by CD11c, being of 1.28, 3.40 and 1.28-fold higher for H-2Db, I-Ab and CD86, respectiely compared with untreated cells. It was also found that tea tree oil could enhance the dendritic cell to induce proliferation of T lymphocyte. And it was reduced the endocytic activity of dendritic cell by tea tree oil. These results showed that tea tree oil had significant immunoenhancing activity by inducing the phenotypic and functional maturation of dendritic cells.
