15 rat dams were divided into 2 groups: selenium treated group drank water containing 2 ppm selenium during pregnancy and breast-feeding period, control group drank tap water. The concentration of selenium in brain tissue for dams were 0.73 ?0.11 (Se-treated) and 0.54 ?0.09 ug/g wet tissue (control), for neonates 0.32?0.02 (Se-treated) and 0.25 ? 0.03 (control), and for 20 days old pups 0.53?0.04 (Se-treated) and 0.44?0.06 (control). The results showed that the selenium administered orally could be transfered through placenta or blood-brain barrier of fetus, young pup and adult rat.

BACKGROUNDTumor cells can reduce the number of dendritic cells (DCs) in the tumor environment and cause DC dysfunction through autocrine or paracrine pathways. We sought to measure cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression in bombesin-inhibited DCs treated with theanine in vitro and to explore the protection and activation effects of theanine on DCs.

METHODSEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and Western blotting were used to analyze the effects of theanine on COX-2 expression and interleukin (IL)-12/IL-10 secretion of bombesin-treated DCs.

RESULTSDCs acquired an impaired phenotype as a result of bombesin treatment. Theanine increased the expression of mature DC surface molecules. The number of cell apoptosis with the treatment of bombesin and theanine significantly decreased, accounting for 15.9%, compared with 26.1% of cell apoptosis with bombesin. COX-2 expression in bombesin-treated DCs was inhibited by theanine in a dose-dependent manner. Theanine promoted DC secretion of IL-12. IL-12 levels reached (137.4 ± 4.9) pg/ml with theanine at 200 µmol/L. However, theanine inhibited the secretion of IL-10 in a dose-dependent manner. IL-10 levels were only (58.4 ± 6.9) pg/ml with theanine at 200 µmol/L.

CONCLUSIONTheanine inhibits the transcription and translation of COX-2 and regulates the balance of IL-10/IL-12 secretion in bombesin-inhibited DCs, leading to the recovery of a state of activation in DCs.

Bombesin ; pharmacology ; Cells, Cultured ; Cyclooxygenase 2 ; metabolism ; Dendritic Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Glutamates ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-12 ; metabolism