title: Effect of ginkgolide B on the platelet-activating factor induced changes of chemotaxis and cytoskeleton of macrophages.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the inhibitory effect of ginkgolide B (BN52021) on the PAF induced changes of chemotaxis of murine peritoneal macrophages and the related polymerization of F-actin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chemotaxis assays were performed using a modified 48-well Boyden chamber. Actin polymerization of murine peritoneal macrophages was analyzed by flow cytometry using a specific fluorescent stain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peritoneal macrophages significantly migrated toward platelet-activating factor (PAF) through a micropore filter; however, in the presence of PAF receptor antagonist BN52021 (0.01 nmol x L(-1) -0.1 micromol x L(-1)), the migration was significantly inhibited. Moreover, BN52021 inhibited the actin polymerization of murine peritoneal macrophages induced by PAF in the presence of Ca2+, but not in Ca2+ -free medium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggested that preventing polymerization of F-actin may be a pathway by BN52021 to inhibit the chemotaxis of macrophages, and this effect seems to be Ca2+ dependent. The data further indicated that inhibition of PAF induced macrophage chemotaxis is an important mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory action of BN52021.
authors: Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
authors: Shan-ying
authors: SY
authors: Peng
authors: Fu-ying
authors: FY
authors: Zhang
authors: Xue-yu
authors: XY
authors: Ou-Yang
authors: Yang
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Wen-jie
authors: WJ
authors: Wang