title: Triptolide: a potent inhibitor of NF-kappa B in T-lymphocytes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the effect of triptolide on the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) and gene expression of I kappa B alpha, a major inhibitor of NF-kappa B, in human Jurkat T cell line.
  
  
  METHODS
  Jurkat cells treated with or without PMA/PHA were incubated with varied doses of triptolide for different time periods. The activity of NF-kappa B in Jurkat cells was measured with electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), and the mRNA expression of I kappa B alpha in Jurkat cells was detected by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PMA/PHA treatment was found to induce NF-kappa B activation rapidly. Triptolide treatment decreased the activity of NF-kappa B in both PMA/PHA treated and untreated Jurkat cells. This effect of triptolide was in a dose-dependent manner and was more obvious in cells treated with PMA/PHA. The mRNA expression of I kappa B alpha were upregulated by triptolide, while this effect was more potent in cells without PMA/PHA treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Triptolide is a potent inhibitor of NF-kappa B activation in T lymphocyte and this effect is partly due to the upregulation of I kappa B alpha mRNA expression.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Nephrology, Jinling Hospital, Nanjing University School of Medicine, Nanjing 210002, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Z H
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D004224:Diterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D006801:Humans; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019169:Jurkat Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D004224:Diterpenes; D004852:Epoxy Compounds; D020672:I-kappa B Proteins; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; C000606204:NFKBIA protein, human; D010616:Phenanthrenes; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000072000:NF-KappaB Inhibitor alpha; C001899:triptolide