[The role of substance P in immunosuppression induced by Tripterygium wilfordii].
The effects of T II (extracted from Tripterygium wilfordii) and substance P (SP) on imunoregulation were investigated. It has been shown that Tripterygium wilfordii is an immunosuppresive. In order to assess the immunosuppression elicited by T II was mediated by SP in spinal dorsal horn, Wistar rats were injected intrathecally with capsaicin (CAP) to deplete SP in spinal dorsal horn prior to T II given orally. The level of interleukin 2 (IL-2) produced by splenic lymphocytes of rats and the contents of SP in some brain areas and spinal cord in mice were assayed after T II treatment. Our findings were as follows: 1. The level of IL-2 was decreased significantly after T II treatment only. However the level of IL-2 was increased markedly after CAP was given intrathecally. Moreover, CAP administration also enhanced the level of IL-2 even in immunosuppression group induced by T II treatment. 2. SP contents in spinal cord, hypothalamus and brain stem of mice were increased dramatically during immunosuppression produced by T II. The results suggested that SP in spinal dorsal horn was involved in regulation of cellular immunity, the suppressive effect of T II on cellular immunity might be mediated by SP in spinal dorsal horn.
Liu
Y
Y
Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, CAMS, Beijing.
Wang
W
W
Zhu
G
G
Chen
J
J
Xu
C
C
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000378:metabolism; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D013373:Substance P / Q000502:physiology*; D029757:Tripterygium
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007376:Interleukin-2; D013373:Substance P