The present study was conducted to evaluate the immunomodulatory effect of aqueous-extracted Astragali radix (ARE) in methotrexate (MTX)-treated mouse spleen cells. In spleen cell proliferation assay, ARE enhanced mitogenic activity in the dose-response manner. We also investigated the effect of ARE on the reducing of immune suppression caused by MTX in mouse spleen cells. MTX decreased the spleen cell proliferation (IC(50):800 microg/ml). However, ARE significantly reduced the suppression of cell proliferation by MTX in mouse spleen cells. Immunomodulatory effect of ARE were further investigated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In RT-PCR, we examined the expressions of various cytokines such as IL-6, IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-12p40, GM-CSF and TNF. Enhancement of IL-1alpha and IL-12p40 mRNA expressions were shown in mouse spleen cells by ARE. In spite of MTX treatment, the expressions of IL-1alpha and IL-12p40 mRNA sustained in spleen cells. These data indicate that (1) ARE has a protective effect of immune suppression, and (2) the immunomodulatory effects of ARE may be, in part, associated with the expressions of IL-1alpha and IL-12p40 mRNA as well as the mitogenic effect on spleen cells.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0378-8741(02)00298-2 | DOI Listing |
Sci Adv
January 2025
Fels Cancer Institute for Personalized Medicine, Department of Cancer & Cellular Biology, Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA.
Arthritis leads to bone erosion due to an imbalance between osteoclast and osteoblast function. Our prior investigations revealed that the Ca-selective ion channel, Orai1, is critical for osteoclast maturation. Here, we show that the small-molecule ELP-004 preferentially inhibits transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim Of The Study: This study investigated the mechanism by which the Postoperative Tongqi Formula (PTQF) treats postoperative ileus (POI) through regulation of the p38 MAPK signaling pathway, Zona occludens 1 (ZO-1) protein, and metabolism.
Methods: The primary components of PTQF were characterized using UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The identified compounds subsequently employed network pharmacology to predict the signaling pathways associated with the inflammatory phase of POI.
Phytomedicine
January 2025
Department of Integrative Biotechnology, and Biomedical Institute for Convergence at SKKU, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea; Department of Biocosmetics, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:
Background: Inflammation is the body's innate reaction to foreign pathogens and serves as a self-regulating mechanism. However, the immune system can mistakenly target the body's own tissues, triggering unnecessary inflammation. For millennia, medicinal plants have been employed for the treatment of diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInvest Ophthalmol Vis Sci
January 2025
Tianjin Key Laboratory of Retinal Functions and Diseases, Tianjin Branch of National Clinical Research Center for Ocular Disease, Eye Institute and School of Optometry, Tianjin Medical University Eye Hospital, Tianjin, China.
Purpose: To investigate the role of S100A8/A9 in the pathogenesis of Sjögren's dry eye disease (SjDED) and explore its potential mechanism of action.
Methods: S100A8/A9 expression was determined by western blot and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Tear secretion, corneal fluorescein staining, and hematoxylin and eosin staining were used to evaluate the effect of paquinimod, a S100A8/A9 inhibitor, on dry eye disease in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice.
Microbiol Mol Biol Rev
January 2025
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York, USA.
SUMMARYThe human malaria parasite is known for its ability to maintain lengthy infections that can extend for over a year. This property is derived from the parasite's capacity to continuously alter the antigens expressed on the surface of the infected red blood cell, thereby avoiding antibody recognition and immune destruction. The primary target of the immune system is an antigen called PfEMP1 that serves as a cell surface receptor and enables infected cells to adhere to the vascular endothelium and thus avoid filtration by the spleen.
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