Stemucronatoside L, a pregnane glycoside from the roots of Stephanotis mucronata, inhibits Th1/Th2 immune responses in vitro.
Stemucronatoside L (SML), isolated from Stephanotis mucronata, could suppress the activation of T cells in vitro. However, the mechanisms responsible for its immunosuppressive activity remain poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether SML could suppress Th1/Th2 immune responses and to characterize the cellular mechanisms involved. Effects of SML on T-lymphocyte subsets and the production of Th1 cytokines IL-2 and IFN-gamma, and Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 from ConA-stimulated mice splenocytes were detected by flow-cytometric analysis and ELISA method, respectively. Furthermore, effects of SML on mRNA expression level of Th1/Th2 cytokines and transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3 were evaluated by RT-PCR analysis. SML not only significantly decreased the percentage of CD4(+) T cells and the CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio, but reduced the production of Th1/Th2 cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. The mRNA expression levels of Th1/Th2 cytokines and transcription factors (T-bet and GATA-3) were also suppressed by SML. These results suggested that SML could simultaneously inhibit Th1/Th2 immune responses by suppressing gene expression of Th1/Th2 cytokines and transcription factors.
Chen
Feng-Yang
FY
Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianmushan Road 182, Hangzhou 310013, P. R. China.
Ye
Yi-Ping
YP
Sun
Hong-Xiang
HX
Li
Xiao-Yu
XY
Shi
Hong
H
D000818:Animals; D029062:Apocynaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006027:Glycosides / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D011278:Pregnanes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D012503:Saponins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor
D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D006027:Glycosides; D007376:Interleukin-2; D011278:Pregnanes; D012503:Saponins; D020825:T-Box Domain Proteins; D000098815:T-bet Transcription Factor; C543373:stemucronatoside L; D003208:Concanavalin A; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma