[Comparative study of kidney-tonifying recipes and spleen-invigorating recipe on regulating pattern of the expression of T lymphocyte apoptosis signaling-related genes in corticosterone-treated rats].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the regulating pattern of kidney-tonifying recipes and spleen-invigorating recipe on the expression of T lymphocyte apoptosis signaling-related genes in corticosterone-treated rats.


METHODS
We analyzed the activation-induced T lymphocyte apoptpsis rate through TUNEL-labelled flow-cytometry assay, quantified the mRNA expression level of T cell apoptosis-regulating genes by using the fluoresecence real-time PCR, analyzed the activity of caspase-8 and caspase-3 by colorimetric assay.


RESULTS
(1) T lymphocyte apoptosis rate of corticosterone-treated rats was higher than that of the normal control rats; T lymphocyte apoptosis rates of Youguiyin treated rats and Bushen Yishou Capsule treated rats were lower than that of the corticosterone-treated group; T lymphocyte apoptosis rate of Sijunzi Decoction treated rats displayed no significance compared with that of the corticosterone-treated group. (2) Pro-apoptotic genes such as Fas, FasL, TNFR1, and Bax displayed increased expression level in corticosterone-treated group compared with normal control group. Two kidney-tonifying recipes down-regruated the expression level of FasL and TNFR1, at the same time, both recipes up-regulated the expression level of Bcl-2. The spleen-invigorating recipe had up-regulating effect on the expression level of Bcl-2. And all these results had statistical significance. (3) The activities of caspase-8 and caspase-3 were increased in corticosterone-treated rats compared with normal control; both kidney-tonifying recipes had significant effect on decreasing the activities of these two apoptosis executioners.


CONCLUSIONS
The excessive apoptosis of T cell in corticosterone-treated rats could be effectively modulated with two kidney-tonifying recipes. Down-regulating the expression of FasL and TNFR1 and up-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 as well as decreasing the activities of caspase-8 and caspase-3 may be the unique regulating pattern of tonifying-kidney method with respect to T cell apoptosis related genes in corticosterone-treated rats.
Chen
Yu
Y
Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China. chenyu@hotmail.com
Shen
Zi-Yin
ZY
Chen
Wei-Hua
WH
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D023421:Models, Animal; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor / Q000235:genetics
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; C494828:Bax protein, rat; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; C505662:Faslg protein, rat; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D047888:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Type I; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D019014:fas Receptor; C505410:Casp3 protein, rat; C505528:Casp8 protein, rat; D053148:Caspase 3; D053181:Caspase 8; D020169:Caspases; D003345:Corticosterone