[Effect of berberine hydrochloride on the proliferation, apoptosis and cytokine secretion of splenocytes in mice].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of berberine hydrochloride (BBR) on the proliferation, apoptosis, TNF-α, IL-2 and IFN-γ secretion of splenocytes in mice.


METHODS
The splenocytes isolated from the spleen of mice in a sterile environment were pretreated with BBR at the concentrations of 1, 2, 4 μg/mL for 60 min. Thereafter, the cells were stimulated with polyclonal activators ConA and cultured for 24, 48, 72 h, respectively. MTT assay was used to detect the proliferation of cells; flow cytometry was performed to detect the splenocyte apoptosis according to the fluorescence intensity of the splenocytes stained with PI and annexin V-FITC; the concentrations of TNF-α, IL-2 and IFN-γ in the culture supernate was quantificationally analyzed by the ELISA.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, BBR within the concentration range above significantly inhibited the splenocyte proliferation, TNF-α, IL-2 and IFN-γ secretion of the splenocytes activated by ConA in a dose- and time-dependent manner (P<0.05), but didn't significantly cause the apoptosis of splenocytes (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
BBR can have immunosuppressive influence on the splenocytes in mice and may act as a potential immunosuppressive drug.
College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Heilongjiang Bayi Agricultural University, Daqing, China. majinzhu1976@163.com
Jinzhu
J
Ma
Baifen
B
Song
Hongsheng
H
Ruan
Pengshuang
P
Zhou
Yudong
Y
Cui
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*
D016207:Cytokines; D001599:Berberine