title: Astragalus mongholicus polysaccharide inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced production of TNF-alpha and interleukin-8.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effect of Astragalus mongholicus polysaccharide (APS) on gene expression and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) transcriptional activity in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC).
  
  
  METHODS
  IEC were divided into control group, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group, LPS+ 50 microg/mL APS group, LPS+ 100 microg/mL APS group, LPS+ 200 microg/mL APS group, and LPS+ 500 microg/mL APS group. Levels of mRNAs in LPS-induced inflammatory factors, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-8, were measured by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. MAPK protein level was measured by Western blotting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The levels of TNF-alpha and IL-8 mRNAs were significantly higher in IEC with LPS-induced damage than in control cells. APS significantly abrogated the LPS-induced expression of the TNF-alpha and IL-8 genes. APS did not block the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase or c Jun amino-terminal kinase, but inhibited the activation of p38, suggesting that APS inhibits LPS-induced production of TNF-alpha and IL-8 mRNAs, possibly by suppressing the p38 signaling pathway.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APS-modulated bacterial product-mediated p38 signaling represents an attractive strategy for prevention and treatment of intestinal inflammation.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, Shengjing Affiliated Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China.
authors: Yuan
authors: Y
authors: Yuan
authors: Mei
authors: M
authors: Sun
authors: Ke-Shen
authors: KS
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D027883:Astragalus Plant / Q000737:chemistry*; D002460:Cell Line; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011134:Polysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases