title: Polysaccharides from the root of Angelica sinensis promotes hematopoiesis and thrombopoiesis through the PI3K/AKT pathway.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dozens of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) formulas have been used for promotion of "blood production" for centuries, and we are interested in developing novel thrombopoietic medicines from these TCMs. Our previous studies have demonstrated the hematopoietic effects of DangGui BuXue Tong (DBT), a formula composed of Radix Angelicae Sinensis and Radix Astragali in animal and cellular models. As a step further to identify and characterize the active chemical components of DBT, we tested the hematopoietic and particularly, thrombopoietic effects of polysaccharide-enriched fractions from the root of Radix Angelicae Sinensis (APS) in this study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A myelosuppression mouse model was treated with APS (10 mg/kg/day). Peripheral blood cells from APS, thrombopoietin and vehicle-treated samples were then counted at different time-points. Using the colony-forming unit (CFU) assays, we determined the effects of APS on the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells and megakaryocytic lineages. Using a megakaryocytic cell line M-07e as model, we analyzed the cellular apoptosis progression with and without APS treatment by Annexin V, Mitochondrial Membrane Potential and Caspase 3 assays. Last, the anti-apoptotic effect of APS on cells treated with Ly294002, a Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinse inhibitor (PI3K) was also tested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In animal models, APS significantly enhanced not only the recovery of platelets, other blood cells and their progenitor cells, but also the formation of Colony Forming Unit (CFU). In M-07e cells, we observed the anti-apoptotic effect of APS. Treatment by Ly294002 alone increased the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis. However, addition of APS to Ly294002-treated cells significantly reduced the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APS promotes hematopoiesis and thrombopoiesis in the mouse model. This effect likely resulted from the anti-apoptosis activity of APS and is likely to involve the PI3K/AKT pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, PR China. cliu6688@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Chang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jianqin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fan Yi
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Simon X
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.forename: Ruixia
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.forename: Chi Kong
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: N H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Pong
authors.forename: Ching Po
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Sau Wan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Jie Yu
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Ye
authors.forename: Jian L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Haixia
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.forename: Shilin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Beng H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chong
authors.forename: Mo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D029971:Angelica sinensis / Q000737:chemistry*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001773:Blood Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002867:Chromones / Q000494:pharmacology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D008533:Megakaryocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D009025:Morpholines / Q000494:pharmacology; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase / Q000378:metabolism*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D034061:Thrombopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D002867:Chromones; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D009025:Morpholines; D011134:Polysaccharides; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one; D058539:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt