title: Reishi Protein LZ-8 Induces FOXP3(+) Treg Expansion via a CD45-Dependent Signaling Pathway and Alleviates Acute Intestinal Inflammation in Mice.
abstract: LZ-8, an immunomodulatory protein isolated from Ganoderma lucidum (also known as Ling-Zhi or Reishi), has been shown to promote cell proliferation and IL-2 production in T cells. In this study, we show that LZ-8 induces the expansion of both murine and human CD4(+) T cells into FOXP3(+) regulatory T (Treg) cells. LZ-8 treatment was found to stimulate a 4-fold and a 10-fold expansion in the Treg populations of murine and human primary CD4(+) T cells, respectively. In addition, the expression of CTLA-4 and IL-10 was induced in LZ-8-treated CD4(+) T cells. Using neutralizing antibodies and gene-deficient T-cell lines, we also found that LZ-8 promotes Treg expansion through a CD45-mediated signaling pathway and that the CD18-dependent induction of IL-2 was involved in Treg formation and IL-10 production. The suppressive activity of LZ-8 was confirmed using a murine model of DSS-induced colitis; the disease was alleviated by the adoptive transfer of LZ-8-treated CD4(+) T cells. In conclusion, a new regulatory function for LZ-8 was identified, and the molecular mechanisms underlying this function were elucidated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology and Laboratory Science in Medicine, National Yang-Ming University, No. 155, Section 2, Li-Nong Street, Taipei 11221, Taiwan ; The Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11574, Taiwan ; Program in Molecular Medicine, National Yang-Ming University and Academia Sinica, Taipei 11574, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hsien-Yeh
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Yen-Chou
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Kuan
authors.forename: Tung-Yi
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Shu-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Li-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Fuu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sheu