Effect of SHEN-YI,a Chinese herbal formula on ratio of Th1/Th2 cells within immune organs of MRL/lpr lupus mice / 中国免疫学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To define the effects of SHEN YI,a Chinese herbal formula on ratio of Th1/Th2 cells within immune organs of MRL/lpr mice Methods:MRL/lpr mice were administered daily with the Chinese herbal formula from the age of 12 weeks and both the treatment and control groups were killed at the age of 28 weeks The percentage of CD4 +CD30 -(Th1),CD4 +CD30 +(Th2)cells within thymus and spleen were determined in vitro by FACScan with or without PHA P stimulation The CD4 + T cells selected from splenocytes were stimulated with PHA P, then, RT PCR was performed to detect IL 4/IFN ? mRNA expressed by the selected cells In addition, the ratio of the two cytokines expressed by the CD4 + T cells from the control and treatment groups was calculated respectively Results:CD4 +CD30 + T cells nearly can't be detected within Thymus Without PHA P stimulation, there was no difference in percentage of CD4 +CD30 + T cells between the control and treatment groups After stimulation with PHA P, FACScan showed an increment in the percentage of CD4 +CD30 + T cells both in the control and treatment groups, however, the extent of expansion of CD4 +CD30 + T cells percentage in treatment group was lower than it in the control one RT PCR showed a reduction in the ratio of IL 4/IFN ? mRNA in the treatment group compared to it in the control one Conclusion:The Chinese herbal formula can inhibit Th cells to differentiate into Th2 cells in the spleen under the stimulation of PHA P