Effect of cordycepin purified from Cordyceps militaris on Th1 and Th2 cytokines in mouse splenocytes.
Cordycepin was purified from a mushroom, Cordyceps militaris, and its effect on Th1 and Th2 cytokines was examined. The level of cytokine induction in mouse splenocytes was estimated after co-inoculation of purified cordycepin and LPS. When 5 microg/ml of purified cordycepin was exposed to mouse splenocytes for 72 h, the level of a Th1 cytokine IL-12 increased by 2.9-fold. The addition of the purified cordycepin to splenocytes also increased the level of Th2 cytokines, IL-4 and IL-10, by 1.9- and 1.8- fold, respectively. Therefore, cordycepin increases the cytokine levels and may contribute to the up-regulation of cellular and humoral immunity.
Department of Microbiology, Dong-A University College of Medicine, Busan 602-714, Korea.
Min-Ho
MH
Jeong
Min Jeong
MJ
Seo
Jeong Uck
JU
Park
Byoung Won
BW
Kang
Kyoung-Sook
KS
Kim
Jae Yun
JY
Lee
Gi-Young
GY
Kim
Jung-In
JI
Kim
Yung Hyun
YH
Choi
Kwang Hyuk
KH
Kim
Yong Kee
YK
Jeong
D000818:Animals; D032661:Cordyceps / Q000737:chemistry*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003839:Deoxyadenosines / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology
D016207:Cytokines; D003839:Deoxyadenosines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C058120:cordycepin