title: [Effects of Astragalus membranaceus on cytokine secretion of peripheral dendritic cells in children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura in the acute phase].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the effects of Astragalus membranaceus (AM) on the cytokines secretion of peripheral dendritic cells (DC), including interleukin-10, -12, and -18 (IL-10, IL-12 and IL-18), in children with Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) in the acute phase; and to study the immunological regulation mechanism of AM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were obtained from 28 children with acute HSP by density gradient centrifugation, and each sample was divided into two parts, one untreated and one treated with AM. All cells were developed to mature DC through treating with recombinant human granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Expression of CD83 in the surface of mature DC was detected by flow cytometry, and levels of IL-10, IL-12 and IL-18 in the supernatant were measured by ELISA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The supernatant level of IL-12 was higher [(141.58 +/- 100.19) ng/L vs (96.18 +/- 76.65) ng/L, t = 3.90, P<0.01], while levels of IL-10 and IL-18 were lower (t = 2.70, P<0.05; t = 4.07, P<0.01) in AM treated PBMCs than those in the untreated ones.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AM can correct the immunologic dysfunction of HSP children through increasing the IL-12, and decreasing the IL-10 and IL-18 secretions of PBMCs.
authors: Department of Pediatrics, the Affiliated Hospital of Medical College, Qingdao University, Shandong.
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Wang
authors: Qiu-Ye
authors: QY
authors: Zhang
authors: Yong-Xing
authors: YX
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D027885:Astragalus propinquus; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011695:IgA Vasculitis / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000097:blood; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D020382:Interleukin-18; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12