Stimulation of iodination and cytokine production by dehydrogenation polymers of phenylpropenoids.

Dehydrogenation polymers of phenylpropenoids (so-called 'synthetic lignins') stimulated the iodination (incorporation of radioactive iodine into an acid-insoluble fraction) of human peripheral blood monocytes and polymorphonuclear cells (PMN). The stimulation activity of the polymers strongly depended on the amount of hydrogen peroxide used during sample preparation, and on the temperature during iodination assay. These polymers also stimulated the production of interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. On the other hand, neither iodination nor cytokine production was significantly affected by the phenylpropenoid monomers. Although the polymers stimulated the iodination of human leukemic cell lines (HL-60, ML-1), they did not induce cytokine production in these cells. The results suggest that stimulation of iodination and cytokine production by dehydrogenation polymers of phenylpropenoids might be regulated differently.