Rhodiola sachalinesis induces the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene by murine fetal hepatocytes (BNL CL.2).
We have examined the effect of the aqueous extract of Rhodiola sachalinensis root (RSE), a traditional herbal medicine, on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in murine fetal hepatocytes (BNL CL.2) by measuring the stable end-product nitrite and the mRNA of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by itself failed to induce NO synthesis in BNL CL.2 cells. RSE also did not elicit NO synthesis at concentrations up to 1,000 microg/ml, but dose- and time-dependently induced NO synthesis in the presence of IFN-gamma in BNL CL.2 cells. Whereas RSE or IFN-gamma failed to induce detectable levels of iNOS mRNA, a combination of RSE and IFN-gamma markedly induced iNOS mRNA in BNL CL.2 cells. Thus, we found that RSE triggered IFN-gamma-primed BNL CL.2 cells to synthesize NO by inducing iNOS gene expression. The capability of RSE to induce NO synthesis might be related to the therapeutic efficacy of RSE on the liver diseases.
Pae
H O
HO
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine and  Medicinal Resources Research Center, Chonbuk, South Korea.
Seo
W G
WG
Oh
G S
GS
Kim
N Y
NY
Kim
Y M
YM
Kwon
T O
TO
Shin
M K
MK
Chai
K Y
KY
Chung
H T
HT
D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D022781:Hepatocytes / Q000201:enzymology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013997:Time Factors
D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse