title: Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) oil protects against chronic stress-induced inhibitory function of natural killer cells in rats.
abstract: Chronic stress can suppress natural killer (NK) cell activity; this may also be related to the effect of stress on the neuroendocrine-immune network. Sea buckthorn (SBT) (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a thorny nitrogen fixing deciduous shrub, native to both Europe and Asia. It has been used as a medicinal plant in Tibetan and Mongolian traditional medicines. SBT has multifarious medical properties, including anti-fatigue as well as immunoregulatory effects. This study reports the effects of SBT oil with regard to the cytotoxicity and quantity of NK cells in the blood of a chronic-stress rat model, in addition to its mechanisms on the neuroendocrine-immune network. These results show that SBT oil, given by gavage to rats with chronic stress, could increase the following: body weight, NK cell quantities, and cytotoxicity, as well as the expression of perforin and granzyme B. The results also show that SBT oil in rats with chronic stress could suppress cortisol, ACTH, IL-1β and TNF-α levels, in addition to increasing 5-HT and IFN-γ serum levels. This leads to suggest that SBT oil, in rats with chronic stress, can increase NK cell cytotoxicity by upregulating the expression of perforin and granzyme B, thus causing associated effects of SBT oil on the neuroendocrine-immune network.
authors.affiliation: Basic Medical Science College, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for TCM Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, PR China.
authors.forename: Hou
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Diandong
authors.affiliation: Basic Medical Science College, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China.
authors.forename: Gu
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Center of Laboratory Technology and Experimental Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zaifu
authors.affiliation: The First Clinical Medical Institute, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, PR China.
authors.forename: Timothy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Helland
authors.affiliation: Center of Laboratory Technology and Experimental Medicine, China Medical University, Shenyang, PR China.
authors.forename: Fu
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Weixin
authors.affiliation: Basic Medical Science College, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, Liaoning, PR China Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education for TCM Viscera-State Theory and Applications, Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang, PR China 37889049@qq.com.
authors.forename: Cai
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liping
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D031281:Hippophae; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000097:blood; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D010938:Plant Oils; D012701:Serotonin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
keywords: chronic stress; natural killer cell; neuroendocrine–immune network; sea buckthorn oil