title: The synergistic effects of C. Sinensis with CsA in preventing allograft rejection.
abstract: The severe side-effects of Cyclosporin A (CsA) limited its long term clinical application in allograft recipients. In the present study, we investigated the potential synergistic effects of cordyceps sinensis (Cs) with CsA in an allograft kidney transplant rat model. Cs alone or a low dose of CsA treatment did not prolong graft survival. However, the combined therapy of a low dose of CsA with Cs significantly prolonged graft survival in rats. The allografts showed significantly improved function in a combined therapy in rats as determined by urine volume and serum creatinine levels. Furthermore, significantly less mononuclear cell infiltration in kidney grafts, lower levels of CD4+ T cells in peripheral blood, and less serum IL-2 and IFN-gama Production was observed in recipients treated with combined therapy, as compared with recipients treated with Cs alone or a low dose of CsA. These data indicate that Cs and CsA have synergistic effects to block allogeneic graft rejection, which may be applied in transplant recipients to decrease the dose of CsA and avoid CsA associated side-effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Renal Transplantation, Nephropathy Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Medical college of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
authors.forename: Chenguang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Puxun
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Lining
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Heli
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Wujun
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: Yong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004357:Drug Synergism; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016030:Kidney Transplantation; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016572:Cyclosporine