[Primary study on the mechanism of Ma Xing Shi Gan decoction on the Th1/Th2 response in a murine model of asthma].
OBJECTIVE
To study the mechanism of Ma Xing Shi Gan decoction on the cytokines of Th1/Th2 in a murine model of asthma.


METHODS
The murine model of asthma was induced by OVA. Various doses of Ma Xing Shi Gan decoction were orally administered to the mice respectively. The spleen cells were cultured 3 days for measurement of IFN-gamma, IL4 and IL-5 by ELISA. After 2 days' culture, the spleen cells were treated with Trizol for extraction of total RNA. The gene expression of T-bet, GATA-3 and STAT-6 were analyzed by RT-PCR.


RESULTS
After the treatment with Ma Xing Shi Gan decoction, the production of IL-4 and IL-5 and the gene expression of GATA-3, STAT-6 obviously decreased.


CONCLUSIONS
Ma Xing Shi Gan decoction may modulate Thl/Th2 balance by suppressing the gene expression of GATA-3 and STAT-6 in vivo.
Huang
Feng
F
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China. hftxyy@yahoo.com.cn
Tong
Xiao-Yun
XY
Zhang
Rong-Hua
RH
Cai
Yu
Y
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D011897:Random Allocation; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis
D016207:Cytokines; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D014157:Transcription Factors