ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: The Cnidium monnieri fruits (CMF) were studied how they act on immune system as a novel immunostimulator against the infectious disease. METHODS: Macrophages were treated with CMF, and nitric oxide (NO) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured, and phagocytosis of macrophages was detected using FITC-labelled Escherichia coli. The protective effect of CMF against E. coli infection in mice was examined. The survival rate was monitored daily for up to 5 days. And then the viable bacteria count of serum and the immunological mediator (NO, TNF-α, interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-6) of serum, splenocyte and peritoneal macrophages were analysed. KEY FINDINGS: The CMF significantly enhanced the concentrations of NO and TNF-α and the phagocytosis activity in macrophages. The oral administration of CMF for five consecutive days before infection prolonged the survival rate. Treatment with CMF significantly stimulated the phagocytosis of peritoneal macrophages and induced the immunological mediator of serum, splenocyte and peritoneal macrophages against the E. coli infection. CONCLUSIONS: The host-protective effects of CMF might be archived by improving immune response, and CMF could act to prevent pathogenic microbial infections with immunomodulation.
Subject(s)
Adjuvants, Immunologic/pharmacology , Cnidium/chemistry , Escherichia coli Infections/drug therapy , Escherichia coli/pathogenicity , Fruit/chemistry , Macrophages/drug effects , Phagocytosis/drug effects , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Adjuvants, Immunologic/isolation & purification , Animals , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Disease Models, Animal , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Escherichia coli/immunology , Escherichia coli Infections/blood , Escherichia coli Infections/immunology , Escherichia coli Infections/microbiology , Host-Pathogen Interactions , Interleukin-12/blood , Interleukin-6/blood , Macrophages/immunology , Macrophages/metabolism , Macrophages/microbiology , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred ICR , Nitric Oxide/blood , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/isolation & purification , Plants, Medicinal , RAW 264.7 Cells , Spleen/drug effects , Spleen/immunology , Spleen/metabolism , Spleen/microbiology , Time Factors , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/bloodABSTRACT
Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are synthetic molecules which bind to estrogen receptors (ER) and can modulate its transcriptional capabilities in different ways in diverse estrogen target tissues. Tamoxifen, the prototypical SERM, is extensively used for targeted therapy of ER positive breast cancers. Unfortunately, the use of tamoxifen is associated with acquired resistance and some undesirable side effects. This study investigated the availability of the conventional SERMs on the TAM-resistance breast cancer cells. SERMs showed more effectiveness in MCF-7 cells than tamoxifen resistant cells, except toremifene and ospemifene. Especially, toremifene was more efficacious in tamoxifen resistant cells than MCF-7. Ospemifene had similar cytotoxic activity on the two types of breast cancers. The other SERMs used in this experiment didn't inhibit efficiently the proliferation of tamoxifen resistant cells. These results support the possibility to usage of toremifene on tamoxifen resistant cancer. The effectiveness by toremifene on tamoxifen resistant cells might be different pathways from the apoptosis and the autophagy. Further study should be needed to elucidate the underlying mechanism of effect of toremifene on tamoxifen resistant cancer.
