Anti-degranulation activity of caffeine: In vitro and in vivo study

Abstract

Abstract Based on some studies, moderate caffeine consumption provides several benefits to human health. However, there are few reports on the anti-degranulation activity of caffeine. Allergy is a global healthcare problem that is drastically increasing in both developed and developing countries. Meanwhile, allergic reactions are triggered by the presence of chemical mediators released from the granules in mast cells, which are called the degranulation process. In this study, caffeine was evaluated for anti-degranulation activity using basophilic cell line RBL-2H3 cells as the in vitro model and the passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) model mice in vivo. As a result, caffeine effectively suppressed antigen-induced degranulation by RBL-2H3 cells in a dose-dependent manner without cytotoxicity. Besides, caffeine also inhibited FceRI-mediated intracellular signaling pathways, such as phosphorylation of Syk, Btk, PLCγ1, PI3K, and Akt in antigen-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells. Caffeine also suppressed PCA response in mice.