Dose dependent contradicting immunoproliferative effect of curcumin in MTT assay

Abstract

Context: MTT assay is a common biochemical test to screen for immunoproliferative and cytotoxic of a study compounds. However, colour of the study compound may interfere with reading of the MTT assay thus lead to false positive or negative without a proper background blank control. Aim: To study the important of background blank control for quantification of immune cell proliferation after treated with colour compound. Settings and Design: Curcumin which is the yellow pigment isolated from turmeric was used in this study. It has been previously identified as an immunosuppressor toward T lymphocyte. MTT assay was carry out on the curcumin in the present and absent of mice splenocyte and thymocytes after corresponding treatment period. Colourless concanavalin A and poke weed mitogen were used as positive control in this study. Methods and Material: Colourimetric MTT assay was use to quantify the cell proliferation in this study. Statistical analysis used: One way ANOVA test followed by Duncan test was used in this study. Results: Without a proper background blank control, colour of curcumin contribute to false positive immunoproliferative effect on both splenocyte and thymocyte. However, low concentration of curcumin was able to stimulate splenocyte and thymocyte proliferation at all the studied time points. Conclusions: Proper background blank control is important in colorimetric base study to study the proliferation of colour compound.