title: Triptolide suppresses T-lymphocyte proliferation by inhibiting interleukin-2 receptor expression, but spares interleukin-2 production and mRNA expression.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of action of triptolide on the T-lymphocyte-mediated immune response. Lymphocytes were incubated with a suboptimal dose of Con A or PHA in the presence or absence of varying doses of triptolide to assess the effect of triptolide on lymphocyte proliferation, interleukin-2 (IL-2) production and IL-2 receptor expression. Then, Con A or PHA induced T-blast cells were cultured with a sufficient dose of recombinant human IL-2 in the presence or absence of triptolide to evaluate the effect of triptolide on the interaction of IL-2 and IL-2 receptors. The effect of triptolide on the immune response in vivo was also investigated. The results of these studies clearly demonstrated that triptolide selectively inhibited the T-lymphocyte proliferative response to Con A and PHA, but had less effect on LPS-induced B-lymphocyte proliferation. Triptolide also suppressed the expression of IL-2 receptors on PHA induced T-blast cells, but did not alter the production of IL-2 by mouse splenic cells and human tonsil lymphocytes. Furthermore, the results also showed that triptolide at higher concentration had a slight inhibitory effect on the interaction of IL-2 and IL-2 receptors, and addition of exogenous IL-2 did not reverse the inhibiting action of triptolide on T-cell proliferation. Taken together, these results suggest that triptolide inhibits T-lymphocyte proliferation mainly by affecting IL-2 receptor expression rather than IL-2 production.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Beijing Medical University, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: S X
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Z Z
authors.initials: ZZ
authors.lastname: Long
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004224:Diterpenes; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D003208:Concanavalin A; C001899:triptolide