Anti-tumor Effect of Astragaloside by Inducing M1 Macrophage Polarization / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective:To investigate the effect of astragaloside on the macrophage polarization and the possible anti-tumor immunity mechanism of astragaloside. Method:The cytotoxic effect of different concentrations of astragaloside at different time points on macrophage was measured by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), in order to choose the suitable concentration of astragaloside, macrophages were co-cultured with tumor cells at the ratio 1:1, and the effect of astragaloside on macrophage-mediated lysis of tumor cells was performed by biophotonic cytotoxicity assay after the mixed cells were effected with 0.1 mg·L-1 astragaloside for 24 h. Macrophages were dealt with 0.1 mg·L-1 astragaloside for 24h, the expressions of CD16/32 and CD206 in macrophages were performed by flow cytometry, the mRNA expressions of macrophage inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Arginine-1 (Arg-1), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-10 (IL-10) and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) were measured by Real-time PCR, the protein expressions of macrophage signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1) and phosphorylation signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (p-STAT1) were determined by Western blot. Result:Astragaloside had no effect on the viability of macrophages with 0.1 mg·L-1. Compared with control group, astragaloside obviously enhanced the macrophage-mediated lysis of tumor cells according to the biophotonic cytotoxicity assay, induced the M1 macrophage marker CD16/32 expression according to flow cytometry, increased the mRNA expressions of iNOS, IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-12 according to the Real-time PCR, and promoted the phosphorylation of STAT1 in macrophages on the basis of Western blot. Conclusion:Astragaloside could induce M1 macrophage polarization by increasing the phosphorylation of STAT1, and initiate macrophage-related anti-tumor immunity response.