title: The induction of cytokine gene expression in murine peritoneal macrophages by Pseudostellaria heterophylla.
abstract: We have previously shown that a mitogenic fraction (PH-I) separated from Pseudostellaria heterophylla (P. heterophylla) could act as a priming agent for the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in mice. In the present study, PH-I was further purified by gel filtration chromatography and the resulting three fractions (PH-I A, PH-I B and PH-I C) were assessed for the induction of TNF-alpha, interleukin-1-alpha (IL-1-alpha) and IL-1-beta gene expression in mice by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction. It was found that fraction PH-I C from P. heterophylla was the most potent priming fraction among the three fractions for the induction of TNF-alpha in serum and the TNF-alpha mRNA in murine macrophages. Moreover, all three fractions were found to increase the expression of IL-1-alpha mRNA while PH-I C showed the most potent activating effect on the expression of IL-1-beta mRNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Fung
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Choy
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha