An oligosaccharide fraction from Korean mugwort herb suppresses death of the mouse thymocytes in culture by down-regulating the Fas death receptor gene.
Korean mugwort herb is a preparation of dried leaves from Artemisia species and has been used as a traditional medicine in Asia. An oligosaccharide fraction, AVF3, purified from the preparation promoted survival of the mouse thymocytes in culture. A mouse gene array study suggests that the AVF3 may modulate Fas/FasL dependent apoptotic cell death and thus has influence on the survival of the thymocytes in culture. RT-PCR analysis confirmed the down-regulation of the Fas gene by the AVF3 treatment, supporting that the AVF3 modulated thymocyte death by suppressing the Fas gene expression.
Department of Microbiology and School of Biotechnology & Biomedical Science, Inje University, Gimhae 621-749, Korea.
Hye Kyung
HK
Chung
Eun Kyong
EK
Bae
Hee Jung
HJ
Ji
Jung Suk
JS
Hwang
Dong Woon
DW
Park
Jung Eun
JE
Kim
Hwa Jin
HJ
Jung
Hyun Ju
HJ
Choi
Dong Seok
DS
Lee
Hyun Joo
HJ
Youn
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D009844:Oligosaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D019014:fas Receptor