摘要
Steroid hormone serving as an immunosuppressor often induces immunotoxicity when administered in highest dosage or accumulated in long-term usage. The stage of high concentration of steroid hormone leading to a wide range of symptoms is associated to the yang.deficient state, which is the part of yin-yang imbalance involved in processes of many diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. Here we intend to investigate the profile of Th1/Th2- related cytokine transcriptions under yang-deficient conditions in a yang-deficient animal model by intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone （a kind of steroid hormone）. The yang.deficient symptoms were estimated by detecting activity, appetite, body weight and so on. T cell proliferation and cytokine transcriptions were analyzed. The results showed that yang-deficient mice were established successfully since typical yang.deficient symptoms were observed in this model with decreased activities, appetite, body weight and temperature. More interestingly, the transcriptions of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in this model were markedly suppressed and the proliferation of lymphocytes significantly decreased as well. The results suggested thatyang-deficient symptoms were related to the steroid-induced reduction of cytokine transcription and impairment of lymphocyte proliferation. Therefore, novel strategies through regulating cytokine production might be considered as potent approach to patients with yang.deficiency symptoms.
Steroid hormone serving as an immunosuppressor often induces immunotoxicity when administered in highest dosage or accumulated in long-term usage. The stage of high concentration of steroid hormone leading to a wide range of symptoms is associated to the yang.deficient state, which is the part of yin-yang imbalance involved in processes of many diseases in traditional Chinese medicine. Here we intend to investigate the profile of Th1/Th2- related cytokine transcriptions under yang-deficient conditions in a yang-deficient animal model by intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone （a kind of steroid hormone）. The yang.deficient symptoms were estimated by detecting activity, appetite, body weight and so on. T cell proliferation and cytokine transcriptions were analyzed. The results showed that yang-deficient mice were established successfully since typical yang.deficient symptoms were observed in this model with decreased activities, appetite, body weight and temperature. More interestingly, the transcriptions of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-4 and IL-10 in this model were markedly suppressed and the proliferation of lymphocytes significantly decreased as well. The results suggested thatyang-deficient symptoms were related to the steroid-induced reduction of cytokine transcription and impairment of lymphocyte proliferation. Therefore, novel strategies through regulating cytokine production might be considered as potent approach to patients with yang.deficiency symptoms.
基金
This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China （#30471572, #30572351, #30571696, #30671901, #30628014）
Bureau of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Shandong Province （#2005089）.
