Development of the susceptibility to oral tolerance induction in infant mice administered a herbal drug, Hochu-ekki-to (Bu-Zhong-Yi-Qi-Tang).
The susceptibility to oral tolerance in post-neonatal infant mice and the effect of a herbal drug, Hochu-ekki-to (HOT), on the susceptibility were investigated. To induce oral tolerance induction, infant and adult mice at 4 and 8 weeks of age, respectively, were orally administered a single high dose of OVA before an intraperitoneal immunization with OVA adsorbed on aluminum hydroxide. HOT (1000 mg/kg) was administered orally for 7 days before the induction. HOT significantly decreased the serum levels of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 and the antigen-specific proliferation of spleen cells in infant mice, both of which were greatly enhanced compared to in adult mice. HOT increased the number of both CD4+ T cells and antigen-presenting cells expressing MHC class II as well as costimulatory molecules (CD40, CD80 and/or CD86) in the Peyer's patch (PP) of infant mice, which had fewer cells than adult mice. In the PP, moreover, HOT augmented the IL-12p40 mRNA expression and spontaneous or CD40-stimulated IL-12 production, and increased the number of CD4+ cells expressing CD40 ligand, which is up regulated by IL-12. These results suggest that HOT increases the number and improves the function of PP cells that are fully susceptible to the induction of oral tolerance.
Kaneko
M
M
Kampo (Traditional Japanese Medicine) and Healthcare Research Laboratories, Kanebo Co. Ltd., Osaka, Japan.
Kawakita
T
T
Yamaoka
Y
Y
Nomoto
K
K
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000187:drug effects*; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C402943:bu-zhong-yi-qi-tang; D018664:Interleukin-12; D010047:Ovalbumin