title: The regulatory effect of liuwei dihuang pills on cytokines in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
abstract: The regulatory effect of Liuwei Dihuang Pills (LDP) was studied on cytokines in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a model for human multiple sclerosis (MS), induced by immunization with MOG(35-55) and complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) supplemented with pertussis toxin (PTX). LDP was administrated orally for 40 days, and prednisone acetate (PA) was used as a control. The pathological changes in the spinal cords of mice were observed by light microscope with hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The protein and mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) in the spinal cords were assessed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR assay, and the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in mice plasma was measured by radioimmunoassay (RIA) on days 12, 25 and 40 post-immunization (PI). The results showed that inflammatory cells, demyelination and axonal loss were reduced, and that the protein and mRNA expression of TNF-α and the ratio of TNF-α/TGF-β were obviously decreased, to different extents. However, the levels of cAMP were enhanced in LDP-treated groups. These findings suggested that LDP regulates the cytokine balance in favor of T helper 1 (Th1)/regulatory T (Treg) cells, which depend on enhancement of cAMP levels. LDP has a potential role in the treatment of MS and other demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system.
authors.affiliation: School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Capital Medical University, No. 10 Xitoutiao, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Qi
authors.forename: Yizhou
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kou
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C042579:Liuwei Dihuang Decoction; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha