title: Effects of β-lapachone on the production of Th1 and Th2 cytokines in C57BL/6 mice.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the effects of β-lapachone (β-lap) on the production of cytokines in C57BL/6 mice. The culture supernatants of splenocytes exposed to β-lap plus lipopolysaccharide or concanavalin A (Con A) were harvested to determine Th1 (tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin [IL]-1β, IL-2, IL-17A, and IL-12) and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10) cytokines. IL-2, a Th1 cytokine, was expressed at higher levels in splenocytes treated with β-lap and with lipopolysaccharide plus β-lap. Expression of Th2 cytokines, including IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10, was lower in the culture supernatants of mouse splenocytes exposed to Con A plus β-lap than in supernatants from cells that were exposed to Con A alone. These findings demonstrate that β-lap downregulates the immediate hypersensitivity reaction induced by Con A. Therefore, Th2 responses involve the downregulation of IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-10, preventing the occurrence of allergies and various manifestations of allergic inflammation. These results suggest that β-lap may have potential preventive or adjunct anti-inflammatory therapy applications because of its function in modulating the production of cytokines. However, further in vivo investigations of this process are necessary to elucidate the mechanisms involved.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Kosin University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
authors.forename: Myungwon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Indal
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jaehyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ju
authors.forename: Kun-Young
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kwang Hyuk
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D023421:Models, Animal; D009285:Naphthoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance / Q000187:drug effects; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009285:Naphthoquinones; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D003208:Concanavalin A; C014638:beta-lapachone