Effects of oral administration of Phellinus linteus on the production of Th1- and Th2-type cytokines in mice.
The mushroom Phellinus linteus (PL) has been shown to have antitumor and immunostimulatory effects. We hypothesized that the hot water extract of PL (WEPL) exerts its significant immunostimulatory effect by inducing production of the Th1-derived cytokine interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) by T lymphocytes. T lymphocytes were isolated from the mice fed with 200 mg/kg of WEPL once a day for 4 weeks and then stimulated with the mitogen concanavaline A (Con A). IFN-gamma gene and intracellular protein expressions were analyzed by RT-PCR and flow cytometry, respectively. The production of IFN-gamma was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. WEPL significantly enhanced the transcription of IFN-gamma mRNA. The effect of WEPL on IFN-gamma expression was further supported by a concomitant increase in the number of cells with intracellular IFN-gamma protein as well as the secretion of IFN-gamma. However, WEPL did not modulate either gene expression or protein secretion of interleukin-4, a Th2-associated cytokine, by Con A-stimulated T lymphocytes. Our results demonstrate that one of the potentially beneficial antitumor and immunostimulatory effects of WEPL may be mediated through the enhancement of IFN-gamma secretion by T lymphocytes.
Oh
Gi-Su
GS
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Wonkwang University School of Medicine, Iksan, Chonbuk, Korea.
Lee
Myeong-Su
MS
Pae
Hyun-Ok
HO
Kwon
Joseph
J
Lee
Sang-Soo
SS
Jeong
Jong-Gil
JG
Shin
Min-Kyo
MK
Kwon
Tae-Oh
TO
Chung
Hun-Taeg
HT
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000737:chemistry; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D045424:Complex Mixtures / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000276:immunology; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D045424:Complex Mixtures; D016207:Cytokines