Effect of herbal medicines on cytokine-induced cytotoxicity and major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen expression in rat thyroid cells.
The effects of herbal medicines that constitute Gam-du-tang and Gung-gui-tang on cytokine-induced cytotoxicity and thyroid major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigen expression in FRTL rat thyrocytes were investigated. No effect on cell growth was found with interferon (IFN)-gamma. However, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha was cytotoxic, and this was increased by preincubation with IFN-gamma. Ethanol extract of Glycyrrhizae Radix, black beans, Angelicae Radix, and Cnidii Rhizoma (0.3-15 mg/ml) in both regimens significantly inhibited IFN-gamma and TNF-alpha-mediated cytotoxicity of rat thyroid cells (p<0.05, p<0.01). In addition, IFN-gamma (1-100 U/ml) treatment induced class II antigen expression in up to 60% of FRTL cells, as detected by a murine monoclonal antibody to rat MHC class II antigen (FITC-OX6). Aberrant thyroid cell MHC class II antigen expression induced by IFN-gamma is suppressed by the extract of herbal medicines. These results indicate that herbal medicines inhibit cytokine-induced thyroid cell destruction, therefore, may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of autoimmune thyroid disease.
Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Intractable Disease Research Center, Dongguk University, Sukjang-Dong, Kyongju, Korea.
Yun-Hee
YH
Shon
Hee-Soon
HS
Lee
Cheorl-Ho
CH
Kim
Jong-Kook
JK
Lim
Byung-Hun
BH
Jeon
Kyung-Soo
KS
Nam
D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000166:cytology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology
D016207:Cytokines; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C494610:gam-du-tang; C494611:gung-gui-tang; D007371:Interferon-gamma