title: [Regulatory effect of astragalus injection on Th1/Th2 cell function in patients with cervical cancer].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of Astragalus in regulating the imbalance between naive helper T cells (Th1/Th2) cytokines expression in patients with cervical cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients with cervical cancer received intravenous dripping with 20 mL of Astragalus Injection (AI, contained extract from 40 g of crude drug) per day for 1 week, peripheral blood sample was collected from patients separately before and after treatment for extract mononuclear cells by density gradient centrifugation. The positive percentages of CD4+ interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma ) cell and CD4+ interleukin-4 (IL-4) cell in total CD4+ cells were measured by flow cytometry; the contents of IFN-gamma, IL-4 in culture supernate were detected with ELISA; and the expressions of T-cell transcription factor T-cells (T-bet) and GATA-binding protein-3 (GATA-3) were determined by RT-PCR. The data were controlled by those get from 10 healthy persons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CD4+ IFN-gamma positive cell percentage, T-bet mRNA expression level and concentration of IFN-gamma in supernate were significantly lower in patients than those in healthy control respectively, while CD4+ IL-4 positive percentage, level of GATA3 mRNA expression and IL-4 concentration in supernate were insignificantly different between the two groups. After AI treatment, the lowered parameters were up-regulated (P < 0.05), and no obvious change was observed in the CD4+ IL-4 positive cell associated parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Th1/Th2 cell function imbalance existed in patients with cervical cancer, showing a Th2 predominant reaction mode; AI can regulate the imbalance, offset to Th1, thus to display its anti-tumor effect.
authors.affiliation: Integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan.
authors.forename: Ya-jun
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shi-Xiong
authors.initials: SX
authors.lastname: Gong
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance / Q000187:drug effects*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C508598:IL4 protein, human; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007371:Interferon-gamma