Effects of coffee cherry on the activation of splenic lymphocytes in mice

We previously observed that the ingestion by mice of a hot water extract (CC) and the methanol-extracted and water-soluble fraction (CC-W) of coffee cherry, the residue remaining after the removal of coffee beans from the fruit, enhanced the differentiation of thymocytes and the activation of peripheral T-lymphocytes; and the anti-mammary tumour effects of coffee cherry extract was considered to be associated with this immunomodulation. To study further these effects, mitogen response and some immune parameters were examined in a high mammary tumour strain of SHN mice. While the T-lymphocyte response to concanavalin A was not significantly changed by either CC or CC-W, the lipopolysaccharide response was significantly enhanced by both treatments. The proportion of CD45R/B220+ (B) cells in the splenic lymphocytes was significantly increased by CC, and the percentage of activated (CD25+) cells in B-lymphocytes was increased by CC and CC-W. These data indicate that coffee cherry extract can enhance B-lymphocyte response, and suggest that this immunopotentiation contributes to the antitumourigenic role of coffee cherry.