title: "Tien-Hsien liquid" can modulate antigen-stimulated cytokine production by T-cells isolated from patients with recurrent aphthous ulcerations.
abstract: Recurrent aphthous ulcerations (RAU) represent a common oral mucosal disease with altered humoral and cellular immunities. Tien-Hsien liquid (THL) is an extract of Chinese medicinal herbs with immunomodulating effects. Our previous study found that THL can modulate the antigen-stimulated proliferative response of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and T-cells isolated from RAU patients. In this study, we further tested whether THL can modulate the antigen-stimulated cytokine production by T-cells isolated from RAU patients. To achieve this goal, T-cells isolated from 19 RAU patients were incubated with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), glutaraldehyde-inactivated tetanus toxoid (TT), glucosyltransferase D (GtfD), or antigens of Streptococcus mutans in the presence or absence of THL. The levels of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-6, or IL-10 in the supernatants of T-cell cultures were measured by cytokine enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. We found that THL significantly increased the PHA- or TT-stimulated TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-10 production by T-cells isolated from RAU patients. However, THL could also significantly decrease the TT-stimulated IL-2 production, the GtfD-stimulated IL-2, TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10 production, and the S. mutans-stimulated IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, and IL-10 production by T-cells isolated from RAU patients. These results indicate that THL can modulate the antigen-stimulated cytokine production by T-cells isolated from RAU patients. Because RAU is probably a Thl-mediated disease with elevated levels of IL-2, IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha and IL-6 in either the patient's sera or oral lesions and these increased levels of cytokines can be reduced by THL, we suggest that THL may be a potential immunoceutical agent for treatment of RAU.
authors.affiliation: School of Dentistry, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Jean-San
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Chia
authors.forename: Won-Bo
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chun-Pin
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Chiang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005964:Glucosyltransferases / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000276:immunology; D012008:Recurrence; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D013295:Streptococcus mutans / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013744:Tetanus Toxin; C492794:tien-hsien liquid; D005964:Glucosyltransferases; C113848:glucosyltransferase D