The Effects Of Apigenin On The Proliferation And Cytokine Gene Expression Of Murine T Lymphocytes

SUBJECT:To study the effects of AP,which is one of effective constituents of bizhongxiao decoction(BZXD) on the activation, proliferation and cytokine murine T lymphocytes.To explore the mechanisms of it on immunosuppression and the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA).METHODS:Murine T lymphocytes of spleen was prepared with asepticism.The lymphocytes were pretreated with AP at different concentrations(0,20,40,80,120,160μmol/L) and stimulated for activation and proliferation with PMA plus Ion.T lymphocyte proliferation was detected by MTT after 48h and the expressions of IL-2mRNA,IFN-γmRNA and IL-4 mRNA of T lymphocyte were detected by RT-PCR after 6 h.RESULTS:1.After 48 hours,the absorbance of PMA plus Ion group was higher significantly than the blank control group,the difference had statistical significance(P＜0.01).The absorbance of groups of 40,80,120,160μmol/L AP was lower significantly than the PMA plus Ion group,the differences had statistical significance(P＜0.01).The concentrations(0,20,40,80,120,160μmol/L) had significant negative correlation with the absorbance(r=-0.855,P＜0.01)2.After 6 hours,the expression of IL-2 mRNA,IFN-γmRNA and IL-4mRNA of PMA plus Ion group was higher than the blank control group,and the difference had statistical significance(P＜0.01).The expression of the above mentioned cytokine gene expression of the groups of 40,80,120μmol/L AP was weaker significantly than the PMA plus Ion group,and the differences had statistical significance (P＜0.01).The expression of IFN-γmRNA and IL-4mRNA on 20μmol/L AP group was weaker significantly than the PMA plus Ion group(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference on the expression of IL-2mRNA(P＞0.05).All the expression of the above mentioned cytokine had significant negative correlation with all the concentrations (0,20,40,80,120,160μmol/L) of AP(IL-2mRNA:r=-0.965, P＜0.01;IFN-γmRNA:r=-0.944,P＜0.01;IL-4mRNA:r=-0.964, P＜0.01)。The expression of IFN-γmRNA of the T lymphocyte actived by PMA plus Ion was more inhibited than the IL-4mRNA at every experiment concentration of AP group(P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:1.AP could obviously inhibite the proliferation of murine T lymphocyte actived by PMA plus Ion,it shows that AP has a immunosuppressive action.2.AP had an inhibition on all the expression of IL-2mRNA, IFN-γmRNA and IL-4mRNA of murine T lymphocyte actived by PMA plus Ion and had more inhibited on the expression of IFN-γmRNA than the IL-4mRNA.It shows that AP has effect of immunological regulation on Th1/Th2.3.AP has effect of above immunosuppression and immunological regulation,it is effective stituent of BZXD on the treatment of RA.