title: Cytokine gene expression profiles in human lymphocytes induced by a formula of traditional Chinese medicine, vigconic VI-28.
abstract: VI-28 is a formula of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) that has been used in aged individuals to improve health and, recently, to treat patients with chronic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections. The mechanism underlying its clinical effect is, however, largely unknown. In the current study, we used a transwell culture system that mimics the in vivo situation and applied microarray technology to explore the effect of VI-28 on gene expression in human lymphocytes. The VI-28 treatment induced expression of a number of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines in both peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and spleen cells, including interleukin-1 (IL-1), growth-related protein-beta (GRO-beta) and epithelial cellderived neutrophil-activating peptide (ENA-78 [CXCL5]). Furthermore, a specific upregulation of interferon- gamma (IFN-gamma), monokine induced by gamma interferon (MIG [CXCL9]) and interleukin-2 receptor alpha (IL-2Ralpha) in spleen cells was noted, whereas tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3) and disabled-2 (DAB2) were downregulated. VI-28 might, thus, enhance both innate and acquired immunity, in particular, T cell function. In addition, genes with no obvious immunologic function, such as insulin-like growth factor-2 (IGF- 1) and CD9, were also differentially affected. Further analysis of individual and combination of ingredients of VI-28 may shed light on the role of this herbal medicine in combating different diseases.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology, Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Karolinska Institutet, SE-14186 Stockholm, Sweden. Qiang.Pan-Hammarstrom@ki.se
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Pan-Hammarström
authors.forename: Sicheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.forename: Lennart
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hammarström
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D028321:Plant Preparations; C492949:vigconic VI-28