OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of drug-containing serum of Xijiao Dihuang combined prescription(XJDH) on the related functions of dendritic cells(DCs) induced in vitro, and to explore the mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of XJDH treatment on primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP). METHODS: Peripheral blood samples were colle-ted from 6 healthy volunteers. Mononuclear cells were isolated by density gradient centrifugation, and CD14⁺ mononuclear cells were collected by the magnetic separation technique. CD14+ mononuclear cells were induced into immature DCs by recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and recombinant human interleukin 4 (IL-4). Immature DCs were divided into three groups: control group, model group and XJDH group. CCK-8 assay was used to determine the intervention concentration and time of drug-containing serum. Lipopolysaccharide(LPS) with the final concentration of 1 μg/ml was added to model group and XJDH group respectively for 24 h to induce DCs maturation. Normal rat serum was added to control group and model group, and XJDH was added to XJDH group for 24 h. Flow cytometry was used to detect the levels of CD80, CD83 and HLA-DR on the surface of DCs. Western blot was used to detect the expression of TLR4 and NF-κB, and levels of IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α in cell supernatant was detected by ELISA. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, LPS stimulation increased the expression of CD80, CD83 and HLA-DR, with subsequent increasing expression of TLR4 and NF-κB, as well as IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α increased(P<0.05). In comparison with model group, the expression of DCs surface molecules CD80, CD83 and HLA-DR, DCs' expression of TLR4 and NF-κB protein, and the levels of IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α in the cell supernatant of XJDH group decreased after the intervention of XJDH (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Drug containing serum of Xijiao Dihuang combined prescription can down-regulate TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway related protein expression, inhibit DCs maturation, and reduce proinflammatory factor secretion, which may be one of the mechanisms of drug-containing serum of Xijiao Dihuang combined prescription in the treatment of immune thrombocytopenia.
Animals ; B7-1 Antigen/pharmacology* ; Cell Differentiation ; Dendritic Cells ; HLA-DR Antigens/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Interleukin-12/pharmacology* ; Interleukin-6 ; Lipopolysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; NF-kappa B ; Prescriptions ; Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic ; Rats ; Toll-Like Receptor 4 ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/pharmacology*

OBJECTIVETo investigate the synergistic effect between the N-terminus domain of the a2 isoform of vacuolar ATPase (a2NTD) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) on modulating macrophage polarization and the impact of polarized macrophages on proliferation of gastric cancer cells.

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells were derived from healthy donor and induced into macrophages. Then macrophages were randomly divided into four groups: the control group (RPMI 1640), the experimental group I (M-CSF 100 μg/L), the experimental group II (a2NTD 500 μg/L) and the experimental group III (a2NTD 500 μg/L plus M-CSF 100 μg/L). After stimulation for 48 hours, double color immunofluorescence cytochemistry was adopted to detect the expression of cell membrane molecules on macrophages; ELISA was used to measure the secretion of cytokines IL-10 and IL-12; CCK-8 assay was used to evaluate the impact of macrophages on proliferation ability of gastric cancer cell strain SGC-7901.

RESULTSThe expression of CD68, also known as macrophage surface antigen, was detected on macrophage membrane in all four groups (+). The mean absorbance (A) was 0.092 ± 0.005 in control group, 0.095 ± 0.006 in group I, 0.094 ± 0.005 in group II, 0.094 ± 0.005 in group III, and no significant differences were observed among 4 groups (all P>0.05). Meanwhile, the expression of CD206, which mainly exists on M2 macrophage membrane, was hard to detect in control group (-) with A 0.025 ± 0.004; it was normal in groupI and group II (+) with A 0.191 ± 0.012 in group I and 0.197 ± 0.136 in group II (P=0.212), and it was up-regulated significantly in group III (+++) with A 0.285 ± 0.011. There were significant differences between either two groups except group I and group II (all P<0.01). Secretion of IL-10 in group I and group II [(85.65 ± 13.64) ng/L and (87.77 ± 14.25) ng/L] was significantly higher compared with control group [(71.67 ± 7.56) ng/L, P<0.01]. Secretion of IL-12 in group I and group II [(9.91 ± 1.50) ng/L and (10.15 ± 1.80) ng/L] was significantly lower compared with control group [(16.87 ± 1.10) ng/L, P<0.01]. Secretion of IL-10 in group III [(116.98 ± 14.27) ng/L] was the highest, and secretion of IL-12 [(5.31 ± 0.88) ng/L] was the lowest (all P<0.01). There was a synergistic effect between a2NTD and M-CSF on the secretion of both IL-10 and IL-12. Elevated proliferation of gastric cancer cell strain SGC-7901 was detected in all four groups, in which group III showed the greatest impact compared with other 3 groups (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSa2NTD and M-CSF show a synergistic effect in modulating macrophage phenotype and the secretion of IL-10 and IL-12. The polarized macrophage can significantly enhance proliferation of gastric cancer cell strain SGC-7901.

Cell Proliferation ; Humans ; Interleukin-10 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-12 ; metabolism ; Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Macrophages ; cytology ; Phenotype ; Stomach Neoplasms ; pathology ; Tumor Cells, Cultured ; Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effects of intragastric administration of human interferon-α (hIFN-α)-transformed Bifidobacterium on immune functions of mice.

METHODSThe E.coli-Bifidobacterium shuttle expression vector containing hIFN-α gene was constructed and transformed into Bifidobacterium. The hIFN-α-transformed Bifidobacterium suspension (1010 /ml) was prepared after induction with 0.2% L-arabinose for hIFN-α expression and administered intragastrically in male Balb/C mice at the dose of 0.1 ml every other day for 2 weeks, with the mice receiving empty vector-transformed Bifidobacteria as the negative control and those having an equal volume of saline as the blank control. The percentages of mononuclear cell subsets in the thymus, spleen and blood were detected in the mice by flow cytometry, and the serum levels of IL-4, IL-12, IFN-γ and TNF-α were assayed using mouse cytokine FlowCytomix Kit.

RESULTSThe percentages of CD3⁺CD8⁺ and CD4⁺CD8⁺ cells in the thymus, CD3⁺CD4⁺, CD3⁺CD8⁺ and CD4⁺CD8⁺ cells in the spleen, and CD3⁺CD8⁺ cells in the blood all increased significantly in IFN group as compared with those in the negative and blank control groups (P<0.01 or 0.05). The serum level of IFN-γ also increased significantly (P<0.05) while IL-4 level remained unchanged in IFN group compared with those in the two groups.

CONCLUSIONIntragastric administration of hIFN-α-transformed Bifidobacterium promotes lymphocyte proliferation and maturation and increases the serum levels of Th1 cytokines in mice.

Animals ; Bifidobacterium ; Cell Proliferation ; Genetic Vectors ; Humans ; Interferon-alpha ; pharmacology ; Interferon-gamma ; blood ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Interleukin-4 ; blood ; Lymphocyte Activation ; drug effects ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Spleen ; cytology ; Th1 Cells ; cytology ; Thymus Gland ; cytology ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of exercise and nutrition intervention on rat immune function. Flor-Essence is a kind of health food produced by FLORA company in Canada and certified by Quality Assurance International (QAI). Its main components are burdock root, cress leaves of grass, kelp, Turkish rhubarb root, et al. Flor-Essence has been shown to activate the body detoxification path, improve the physical environment, and inhibit cancer cell growth and proliferation. Sixty male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into six groups: control, NS + training, low-dose Flor-Essence + training, low-dose Flor-Essence, high-dose Flor-Essence + training, high-dose Flor-Essence groups. The rats in NS + training, low-dose Flor-Essence + training, high-dose Flor-Essence + training groups swam 35 min per day in the water tank for 6 days a week. One hour before exercise, the rats were given low- (2.5 mg/mL) or high-dose (5 mg/mL) Flor-Essence daily by intragastric administration, and the rats in NS + training group were given equivalent volume of NS. On the last day of four training weeks, all rats took part in a bout of exhaustive exercise, and then were sacrificed immediately. Arterial blood serum samples were taken for the assays of IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α contents, spleens for natural killer (NK) cells activity. The results showed that serum IL-6 content in NS + training group was decreased compared with that in control group. Low- and high-dose Flor-Essence groups showed decreased IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α serum contents, as well as longer exhaustive time, compared with control group. The improving effects of high-dose Flor- Essence on IL-6, TNF-α and exhaustive time were greater than those of low dose. Compared with NS + training, low- and high-dose Flor-Essence + training reduced serum contents of IL-6 and TNF-α, and prolonged exhaustive time; only high-dose Flor-Essence + training decreased serum IL-12 content and enhanced NK cells activity. These results suggest Flor-Essence in combination with exercise can improve rat immune function and sports performance, and the effect of high-dose Flor-Essence is better than that of low dose.
Animals ; Interleukin-12 ; blood ; Interleukin-6 ; blood ; Killer Cells, Natural ; drug effects ; Male ; Physical Conditioning, Animal ; Plant Extracts ; pharmacology ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Swimming ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; blood

OBJECTIVETo investigate the mechanisms underlying the ability ofheparin-treated dendritic cells (DCs) to promote Th0 to Th1 differentiation in chronic hepatitis B (CHB).

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated from CHB patients and cultured in RPMI-1640 with recombinant GM-CSF and IL-4 with or without heparin to obtain DCs for study. The levels of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) on the DCs were measured using FACS and qPCR techniques.DC subsets with high expression of TLRs were selected for analysis of functional changes by treatment with the corresponding TLR-siRNA. The CD4+ T cell subpopulation was purified from peripheral blood by Dynal immunomagnetic beads, and then the production of IL-12 by DCs in the presence of poly(I:C) or R848 and ofIFN and IL-4 by Th cells co-cultured with DCs was evaluated by ELISA. The t-test was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTSTLR3 expression, and not expression of TLR 7 or TLR8,was significantly increased in heparin-treated DCs as compared to levels detected in the DCs without heparin treatment (t =2.849,P less than 0.05;t =3.027,P less than 0.05). The level of IL-12 produced by heparin-treated DCs stimulated with poly(I:C) was obviously higher than that produced by DCs without heparin treatment and stimulated with poly(I: C) (t =8.68,P less than 0.01) or with R848 (t =19.01,P less than 0.01). However, the IL-12 production by TLR3-siRNA transfected-DCs was significantly reduced (t =31.49, P less than 0.01).When Th cells from allogenic patients with CHB were co-cultured with the TLR3-siRNA transfectedDCs, the frequency ofCD4+ IFN+ cells was significantly reduced (1.64+/-0.57% vs.6.31+/-0.88%,P less than 0.01),as was the capability of Thl to generate IFNg (t =20.83,Pless than 0.01).

CONCLUSIONHeparin may have up-regulated the TLR3 expression level of DCs, and sequentially promoted Th0 to Th1 differentiation.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes ; cytology ; Cell Differentiation ; Coculture Techniques ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; immunology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; metabolism ; Interleukin-12 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-4 ; pharmacology ; Monocytes ; cytology ; Recombinant Proteins ; pharmacology ; Toll-Like Receptor 3 ; metabolism

OBJECTIVETo test the effect of bifunctional molecule IL2-GMCSF in promoting the activation of dendritic cells (DCs) cultured in tumor conditioned medium.

METHODSWe prepared a tumor conditioned medium using mouse melanoma cell line B16F10 supplemented with IL2-GMCSF, GM-CSF, IL-2, or the combination of the latter two. After culturing mouse DC cell line DC2.4 in the conditioned medium for 24 h, the DCs were examined for phagocytosis, proliferation, maturation phenotype, cytokine secretion, and signal pathway activation.

RESULTSDC2.4 cells displayed characteristics of immature DCs. After cell culture in the conditioned medium, the cells showed enhanced phagocytosis but significantly suppressed cell proliferation activity. Culture in the conditioned medium also promoted DC cell maturation and secretion of macrophage-derived chemokine (MDC), but inhibited IL-12 secretion. Supplementation of the conditioned medium with IL2-GMCSF promoted phagocytosis, proliferation, maturation, and cytokine (including both IL-12 and MDC) secretion of DC2.4 cells. Compared with GM-CSF, IL2-GMCSF induced a higher level of NF-κB signal pathway activation but suppressed STAT3 activation.

CONCLUSIONCompared with GM-CSF, IL2-GMCSF can better promote DC activation in the context of tumor-induced immune suppression, and thus shows potentials in anti-tumor therapy.

Animals ; Cell Differentiation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; Chemokine CCL22 ; metabolism ; Culture Media, Conditioned ; chemistry ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Immune Tolerance ; Interleukin-12 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-2 ; pharmacology ; Melanoma, Experimental ; pathology ; Mice ; NF-kappa B ; metabolism ; Phagocytosis ; STAT3 Transcription Factor ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of nerve growth factor (NGF) on the  differentiation of murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) in vitro.
 METHODS: The bone marrow cells of femur and tibia from healthy C57B -L/6 mice were isolated and divided into 4 groups: a phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group (PBS group), a NGF group, a granulocyte monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) plus interleukin 4 (IL-4) group (GM-CSF+IL-4 group), and a GM-CSF plus IL-4 and NGF group (n=6 in each group). The positive rate of CD11c+ and the proportion of CD8a- were compared at the 7th day among the different groups by flow cytometry. The immature DCs were acquired by classic methods with GM-CSF and IL-4. The purified DCs were obtained by magnetic bead positive selection for CD11c+ cells. The immature DCs were divided into 4 groups: a PBS group, a NGF group, a LPS group, and a NGF+LPS group (n=6 in each group), which were incubated with PBS, NGF, LPS and NGF+LPS, respectively. Cytokine levels of IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 were detected by ELISA after 24 hours..
 RESULTS: 1) the percentage of CD11c+ DCs in the NGF group were more than that in the PBS group, and lower than that in the the GM- CSF+IL-4 group (both P<0.05). There was no difference between the GM-CSF + IL-4 group and the NGF+GM-CSF+IL-4 group (P>0.05). CD8a- DCs were dominant in these four groups; 2) NGF could further up-regulate the LPS-induced cytokine secretion from DCs, such as IL-6, IL-10, and IL-12 (all P<0.05), but NGF alone had no such effect (all P<0.05).
 CONCLUSION NGF can promote the murine bone-marrow cells differentiation into CD11c+ DCs, with CD8a-subset; NGF could enhance LPS-induced cytokine secretion from DCs (IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12).
Animals ; Bone Marrow Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cells, Cultured ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-10 ; analysis ; Interleukin-12 ; analysis ; Interleukin-4 ; pharmacology ; Interleukin-6 ; analysis ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nerve Growth Factor ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of budesonide on animal model of minimal persistent inflammation (MPI) of allergic rhinitis in rats and to investigate the changes of interleukin-12 (IL-12) in nasal mucosa. METHOD: Sixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: group A (allergic rhinitis group), B (experimental group), C (MPI model group) and D (bland group) respectively, with fifteen animals in each group. Rats from group A,B and C were sensitized intraperitoneally by injection of suspension of ovalbumin (OVA) and aluminum hydroxide in 0.9% physiological saline. Then, repeated local booster sensitization with different concentration of OVA suspension (1% and 0.01%) or physiological saline into the nasal cavity of those rats were performed. For group D, physiological saline was used only. From 36th day, group B were given budesonide treatment for three weeks. A, C and D group were given normal saline nasal spray. Symptoms (sneezing) of rats after antigen challenge were observed and the infiltration of eosinophils (EOS) together with the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and IL-12 in the nasal epithelial cells were also examined. RESULT: When challenged with 1% OVA, the sneezing number of rats in group B was increased markedly than that in group D (P < 0.05). However, there was no difference between group B, A and C (P > 0.05). When challenged with 0.01% OVA and given budesonide, the symptom of sneezing almost disappeared in group B just like that in group D and there was no difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). Besides, there was still more EOS infiltrated in the nasal mucosa of rats in group C than that in group D (P < 0.05). There was no expression of ICAM-1 in nasal epithelium of rats in group D, nevertheless, ICAM-1 was found mildly expressed in group C. IL-12 expression was significantly increased compared with group A and group C, and was no significantly difference compared with bland group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Budesonide significantly inhibited the late reaction of animal model of minimal persistent inflammation (MPI) of allergic rhinitis in rats and increase the expression of IL-12 in MPI model.
Allergens ; Animals ; Budesonide ; pharmacology ; Disease Models, Animal ; Eosinophils ; immunology ; Inflammation ; drug therapy ; Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 ; metabolism ; Interleukin-12 ; metabolism ; Leukocyte Count ; Nasal Mucosa ; metabolism ; Ovalbumin ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVETo explore the in vitro anti-tumor effect and mechanism of dendritic cell (DC) tumor vaccine induced by astragalus polysacharin (APS).

METHODSPeripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) isolated from human peripheral blood. DCs obtained from human peripheral blood were cultivated and added with culture solution for in vitro inducing them to immature DCs. On the 5th day of culture, 100 microg/mL (as the final concentration) APS was added to cells in the APS group. DCs were induced to mature in the cytokine groups by adding 20 ng/mL rhTNF-alpha (as the final concentration). Changes of morphology and phenotype of DCs were observed. Mature DCs were sensitized with tumor antigen SGC-7901 and co-cultured with allogeneic T cells. The proliferative function of T lymphocytes was detected by MTT assay. Levels of IL-12 and IFN-gamma in co-cultured supernatant were detected by ELISA. Cytotoxic lymphocytes (CTL) activated by DC were co-cultured with tumor cell SGC-7901. The specific killing capacity of CTL to target cells was detected by LDH release assay.

RESULTSThe morphological observation and phenotypic identification of APS induced DCs were in accordance with the characteristics of mature DCs. APS induced mature DCs could stimulate the proliferation of allogeneic T lymphocytes. The proliferation index of T cells increased with increased ratio of stimulator cells to effector cells (P < 0.05). Levels of IL-12 and IFN-gamma in co-culture supernatant significantly increased in a time-dependent manner (P < 0.05). CTL cells activated by sensitization of DCs could significantly kill tumor cells, and the killing effect increased along with increased effector-to-target ratio.

CONCLUSIONAPS could in vitro induce DCs to mature, promote its antigen-presenting capacity, effectively activate CTLs, and enhance anti-tumor function of the organism.

Antigen-Presenting Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Cancer Vaccines ; immunology ; Cell Line ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Coculture Techniques ; Dendritic Cells ; cytology ; drug effects ; immunology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Humans ; Interferon-gamma ; immunology ; Interleukin-12 ; immunology ; Leukocytes, Mononuclear ; cytology ; immunology ; Lymphocyte Activation ; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic ; cytology ; drug effects

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