title: Immunosuppressive effects of ginsenoside-Rd on skin allograft rejection in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with organ failure. However, the side effects of long-term application of classic immunosuppressant remain major obstacles for successful transplantation. Therefore, new and safe immunosuppressive drugs against acute and chronic rejection are eagerly awaited.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present study, we detected the effect of ginsenoside-Rd on mitogen-induced mouse spleen lymphocytes proliferation in vitro and observed the effect of ginsenoside-Rd on allograft rejection in a rat skin transplantation model. Th1/Th2 type cytokines secretion and T-cell subsets were also detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that ginsenoside-Rd could markedly inhibit Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced mouse spleen T lymphocytes proliferation. Also, ginsenoside-Rd could significantly prolong the mean survival time of skin allograft and improve the skin allograft pathological damage. Furthermore, ginsenoside-Rd could markedly suppress alloantigen-specific production of Th1 cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ as well as proinflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-12. In parallel, Th2 cytokine IL-10 production in serum of rat recipients was markedly up-regulated. Ginsenoside-Rd at a dose of 25 mg/kg could significantly reduce the percentages of CD4(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells in peripheral blood of rat recipients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that ginsenoside-Rd can effectively antagonize transplant rejection, which might qualify ginsenoside-Rd as a putative, therapeutic drug for the treatment of Th1-driven diseases, including transplant rejection.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yunxin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jiajia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Sijia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yanhong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Lamei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: Lihua
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yongjie
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D036145:Ginsenosides / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D023421:Models, Animal; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016038:Skin Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D036145:Ginsenosides; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; C049863:ginsenoside Rd