Reversal of apoptotic resistance by Lycium barbarum glycopeptide 3 in aged T cells.
OBJECTIVE
To study whether Lycium barbarum glycopeptide 3 (LBGP3) affects T cell apoptosis in aged mice.


METHODS
LBGP3 was purified with DEAE cellulose and Sephadex columns. Apoptotic "sub-G1 peak" was detected by flow cytometry and DNA ladder was resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis. Levels of IFN-gamma and IL-10 were measured with specific kits and mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR. Apoptosis-related proteins of FLIP, FasL, and Bcl-2 were determined by Western blotting.


RESULTS
LBGP3 was purified from Fructus Lycii water extracts and identified as a 41 kD glycopeptide. Treatment with 200 microg/mL LBGP3 increased the apoptotic rate of T cells from aged mice and showed a similar DNA ladder pattern to that in young T cells. The reversal of apoptotic resistance was involved in down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and FLIP, and up-regulating the expression of FasL.


CONCLUSIONS
Lycium barbarum glycopeptide 3 reverses apoptotic resistance of aged T cells by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related molecules.
Yuan
Long-Guo
LG
Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China.
Deng
Hong-Bin
HB
Chen
Li-Hui
LH
Li
Dian-Dong
DD
He
Qi-Yang
QY
D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053222:Fas Ligand Protein / Q000276:immunology; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D032305:Lycium / Q000737:chemistry*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000276:immunology; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology
D053222:Fas Ligand Protein; D006020:Glycopeptides; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016753:Interleukin-10; D007371:Interferon-gamma