ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the effect of Chinese herbal medicine formula "tonifying kidney plus strengthening vital energy" on regulating CD40, CD40L protein and mRNA expression in spleen cell in mice with SHENXU. Methods The interaction of CD40L expressed by activated T cells with CD40 on monocytes, macrophages, or B cells is essential for the production of IL-12 and other cytokines. An experimental model of mice with SHENXU by corticosterone was established to observe the effect of Chinese formula on CD40, CD40L protein and mRNA expression in spleen cells or in ConA stimulated spleen cells by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. Results No significant differences were found among 5 groups of mice about the CD40 and CD40L protein expression in spleen cells. Both CD40 and CD40L expression detected by immunohistochemistry decreased seriously in ConA induced cells from SHENXU mice (18.9%?3.3% vs 15.8%?2.3%) as compared to that of normal controls(29.7%?4.2% vs 23.3%?1.3%), and so did the mRNA expression on ConA stimulated cells from SHENXU mice. They were restored in different degrees when the SHENXU mice were cured by different Chinese medicine. The effect of "tonifying kidney plus strengthening vital energy" was stronger than that of "tonifying kidney" and "strengthening vital energy" alone. Conclusions "Tonifying kidney plus strengthening vital energy" enhanced the expression of CD40, CD40L mRNA and protein, and this may be one of the mechanisms of improving the status of immune inhibition resulted by Corticosterone.