The effect of curcumin on human B-cell immortalization by Epstein-Barr virus

Cyclosporine is a commonly used immunosuppressant in solid-organ transplantation. It is, however, associated with an increased incidence of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)induced post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD). In this study, human B lymphocytes isolated from healthy volunteers were immortalized in vitro with EBV. The effect of oxidative stress mediated by cyclosporine A or hydrogen peroxide on in vitro B cell immortalization was studied by coculturing immortalized B cells with cyclosporine A and hydrogen peroxide. Curcumin, a phenolic extract of the spice turmeric, was then used to observe its effect on this process. We found that in vitro B-cell immortalization with EBV was promoted by the oxidative stress induced by cyclosporine A and hydrogen peroxide, with the maximum effect seen at concentrations of 500 ng/ml and 100 mu M, respectively. Curcumin blocked the B-cell immortalization in a dose-dependent fashion with nearly complete inhibition at 20 mu M. We conclude that, because both hydrogen peroxide and cyclosporine A strongly promote in vitro B-cell immortalization with EBV (the putative process responsible for PTLD) and curcumin, an extract of a common spice is an effective inhibitor of this process; curcumin may be an effective adjunct in the prevention of PTLD in the patients undergoing therapy with cyclosporine A.