title: Matrine regulates immune functions to inhibit the proliferation of leukemic cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the roles of matrine in regulating immune functions and its effect on the proliferation of leukemic cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human leukemia K562, OUN-1, HL-60, U937, K562/AO2 cell lines and primary leukemic cells were used to detect the NKG2D ligands (NKG2DL) expression such as MICA/B, ULBP-1, ULBP-2, ULBP-3, and NK cells receptor NKG2D, CD158a, CD158b were detected by flow cytometry. Cell cytotoxic activity of human NK cells and CIK cells against K562 leukemia cells was detected using CFSE/PI double staining. Pro-inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecules in K562 or NK cells supernatant after matrine treatment were detected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Matrine could upregulate the expression of NKG2DL on leukemic cell lines, and primary leukemic cells and enhance the NK and CIK cytotoxicity targeted to K562 cells. After matrine treatment, pro-inflammatory cytokines and adhesion molecular such as IL-6, IL-1, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, GRO and TNF-α in K562 cells supernatant were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Flow cytometry analysis showed that the NKG2D expression was up-regulated significantly as well as the CD158a and CD158b expression decreased after treatment with different concentration of matrine in a dose-dependent manner in K562 cells. A significant decrease of supernatant concentrations of IL-1α, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, GRO and TNF-α in NK cells was also observed after exposure to the matrine.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Matrine regulates immune functions to inhibit the proliferation of leukemic cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Advanced Medical Service, Tongji Hospital, Tongji University Shanghai 200065, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Jinshan Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai 201508, China.
authors.forename: Huizhang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Laboratary Center, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Zhichao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Laboratary Center, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Lijia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Xuzhang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Laboratary Center, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Xiao
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Laboratary Center, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Liuyang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Laboratary Center, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.affiliation: Laboratary Center, Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital, The Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University Changzhou 213000, China.
authors.forename: Lingdi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
keywords: Matrine; NK cells; immune functions; luekemia cells