title: Development of B cells and erythrocytes is specifically impaired by the drug celastrol in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Celastrol, an active compound extracted from the root of the Chinese medicine "Thunder of God Vine" (Tripterygium wilfordii), exhibits anticancer, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, and interest in the therapeutic potential of celastrol is increasing. However, described side effects following treatment are significant and require investigation prior to initiating clinical trials. Here, we investigated the effects of celastrol on the adult murine hematopoietic system.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Animals were treated daily with celastrol over a four-day period and peripheral blood, bone marrow, spleen, and peritoneal cavity were harvested for cell phenotyping. Treated mice showed specific impairment of the development of B cells and erythrocytes in all tested organs. In bone marrow, these alterations were accompanied by decreases in populations of common lymphoid progenitors (CLP), common myeloid progenitors (CMP) and megakaryocyte-erythrocyte progenitors (MEP).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that celastrol acts through regulators of adult hematopoiesis and could be used as a modulator of the hematopoietic system. These observations provide valuable information for further assessment prior to clinical trials.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America. skusy@stanford.edu
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kusy
authors.forename: Eliver E B
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Ghosn
authors.forename: Leonore A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Herzenberg
authors.forename: Christopher H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Contag
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D001854:Bone Marrow Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D006410:Hematopoiesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D053978:Pentacyclic Triterpenes; D014315:Triterpenes; C050414:celastrol