ABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to explore the immunomodulatory effects of betulinic acid (BA) extracted from the bark of white birch on mice. Female mice were orally administered BA for 14 days in doses of 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg body weight. We found that BA significantly enhanced the thymus and spleen indices, and stimulated lymphocyte proliferation induced by Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide as shown by MTT assay. Flow cytometry revealed that BA increased the percentage of CD4+ cells in thymus as well as the percentage of CD19+ and the ratios of CD4+/CD8+ in spleen. BA increased the number of plaque-forming cell and macrophage phagocytic activity as indicated by a neutral red dye uptake assay, and the peritoneal macrophages levels of TNF-alpha were also increased. In contrast, serum levels of IgG and IgM and serum concentrations of IL-2 and IL-6 were significantly decreased in BA-treated mice compared to the control as assayed by haemagglutination tests and ELISA, respectively. Taken together, these results suggest that BA enhances mouse cellular immunity, humoral immunity, and activity of macrophages. Thus, BA is a potential immune stimulator and may strengthen the immune response of its host.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Mice , Adaptive Immunity/drug effects , Betula/chemistry , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Cytokines/blood , Immunity, Innate/drug effects , Immunologic Factors/pharmacology , Macrophages/drug effects , Phagocytosis/drug effects , Random Allocation , Spleen/cytology , Thymus Gland/cytology , Triterpenes/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Objective To study the state of T-cell and T-helper cell subpopulation in children with recurrent tonsillitis(RT) in remission period and make clear its role on pathogenesis in children with RT.Methods The expression of membrane molecule on T-cell subsets was analyzed in 27 RT children and 21 control health children by using immunofluorescence and flowcytometry,the levels of interferon-?(IFN-?) and interleukin-4(IL-4) in culture supernatant of peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMC) were detected by enzyme linked immunoadsorbent assay(ELISA).Results The CD4~+ and CD3~+ cell were significantly lower in RT children than those of the controls(P0.05),a ratio of CD4~+/CD8~+ was disproportion(P0.05),the ratio of Th1/Th2 was disproportion(P
ABSTRACT
The T cell subpopulations of peripheral blood from 60 TAO patients and 40 normal subjects were detected with 3 kinds of monoclonal antibodies using indirect immunofluoresence technique. Meanwhile, the antiarterial antibodies (AAA) and circulating immune complex (CIC) from the sera of above patients and normal subjects were also determined. The results of the experiment suggests: (1) The functional disorders of immunoreguiating T cell (T4~+, T8~+),especially the severe decrease of T8~+ cell percentage play an important role in the pathogenesis of TAO;(2) The imbalance of T cell subpopulations have close relation to the production of antiarterial antibodies.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the phenotypes and expression of activated T-cell membrane molecules on lymphocytes in the peripheral blood(PB) of children with aplastic anemia (AA) and find out its clinical significance.Methods The lymphocytes from PB of the 115 AA patients were analyzed by flow cytometry and compared with normal group.Results The expression of CD8+ increased and the expression of CD4+ decreased. The ratio of CD4/CD8 cells decreased ,and was more significant in the patients with serious AA(SAA). The expression of HLA-DR and ??T-cell also increased, and was more significant in SAA patients. The expression of CD3+ was not significantly changed.Conclusions There is significant immune abnormal in AA patients and more important in SAA patients. The immunosuppressant is useful in clinical treatment.