title: The Oriental medicine "Cool-Cool (Cool-X-A)" inhibits inflammatory cytokine production and migration in mast cells.
abstract: Plant medications have been applied to treat pains from various types of arthritis in Korea. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well known to be a chronic autoimmune/inflammatory disease that leads to progressive joint damage and cartilage destruction. Accumulation and activation of mast cells have been demonstrated in rheumatoid synovial tissue. Because infiltrated mast cells and their mediators may contribute to the initiation and progression of the inflammatory process and matrix degradation of RA, we tested the inhibitory effects of "Cool-Cool" (CC, Cool-X-A), an Oriental medication, on the production and migration of major inflammatory cytokines in mast cells. CC was treated in vitro before activation of human mast cell line (HMC-1) with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, and the cytotoxicity of CC was assessed by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay. CC had no cytotoxic effects on HMC-1 cell viability. The inhibitory effects on cytokine production were monitored by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). CC inhibited not only the secretion but also the expression of TNF-alpha and IL-8 in HMC-1 cells. CC also suppressed migration of mast cells induced by stem cell factor. These findings may help in understanding the mechanism of action of this herbal medication, leading to the control of mast cells in inflammatory conditions like RA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Oriental Medicine, Kyung Hee University, 1 Hoegi-Dong, Dongdaemun-Gu, Seoul 130-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi-Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In-Young
authors.initials: IY
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Si-Hyeong
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seung-Heon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Taekyun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: Hyung-Min
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D002465:Cell Movement / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D019089:Stem Cell Factor / Q000494:pharmacology; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: C488391:Cool-X-A; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D016209:Interleukin-8; D019089:Stem Cell Factor; D013778:Tetrazolium Salts; D013844:Thiazoles; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C022616:thiazolyl blue; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate