Effects of Xuebijing on the endotoxin-stimulated THP-1 cell line / 复旦学报（医学版）

ABSTRACT

Objective To study the effect of Xuebijing, a Chinese traditional medicine injection, on the THP-1 cells challenged by endotoxin, and to explore whether it induces endotoxin tolerance. Methods The THP-1 cells were pretreated with Xuebijing in different concentrations (10, 25, 50 mg/mL) and times (4, 12, 24 hours), and then challenged by endotoxin. The level of TNF-α in culture supernatant was detected by ELISA assay, and the expression of TLR4 and IRAK-M mRNA were detected by Real time-PCR technique. Results There was no significant difference in TNF-α level among all the groups (pretreated with different concentrations of Xuebijing for different time) (P>0.05). Only in 50 mg/mL Xuebijing group, TLR4 mRNA was 1.547-fold increase in 24 h than in 4 h group (P<0.05). Only when pretreated for 24 h, IRAK-M mRNA was 1.349-fold increase in 50 mg/mL Xuebijing group than in control group (P<0.05). However,there was no significant difference among other groups (P>0.05). Conclusions Xuebijing can not block the release of TNF-α from the THP-1 cells challenged by endotoxin;and it does not induce endotoxin tolerance. When pretreated with high concentration of Xuebijing for long time, the expression of both TLR4 and IRAK-M mRNA is up-regulated, but its significance is not yet clear.