ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the role of Huang-qi in balance of TH1/TH2 in asthma on dendritic cells level. Methods DCs from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) were induced by rhGM-CSF and rhIL-4, and then were identified. The level of IL-12 and IL-10 produced by DCs were de-tected by ELISA assay. After autoreactive T cells, mRNA of T-bet and GATA-3 was measured by RT-PCR. Simultaneously, IL-4 and IFN-γ were determined by flow cytometer. Results After 7 days culture, IL-12 was significantly decreased in asthma group compared to control group (P ＜ 0.01), whereas IL-10 on the opposite. At the 7th day of co-culture with T cells derived from floating cells, the IFN-γ/and T-bet mRNA level in asthma group were significantly decreased than that in control group, whereas IL-4, GATA-3 mRNA level, the ratio of IL-4/IFN-γ and GATA-3/T-bet were apparently increased in asthma group than that in control group(P＜0.01). After Huang-qi treatment, the IFN-γ/and T-bet mRNA level were significantly in-creased, whereas the ratio of IL-4/IFN-γ and GATA-3/T-bet, and the IL-10 level were apparently de-creased, but the level of IL-12, IL-4 and GATA-3 mRNA were not changed significantly. Conclusion DCs in asthma regulated the balance of TH1/TH2 by means of secreting decreased IL-12 and increased IL-10, that made TH2 playing a dominance role which is the key factor in initiating asthma. Huang-qi regulated DCs through decreasing the level of IL-10, and thus decreased the ability of inhibiting the differentiation of TH1 from TH0, that is also inhibiting the differentiation of TH2 from TH0 directly.