[Effect of Chinese herbs for tonifying Shen on balance of Th1 /Th2 in children with asthma in remission stage].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the molecular mechanism of Chinese herbs for tonifying Shen on asthma by adjusting the imbalance of Th1/Th2.

METHODS

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) separated from anticoagulated venous blood of 20 children with asthma in remission stage (3 ml from each) were equally divided into three groups, the blank group and the Chuankezhi (CKZ) groups cultured with media without or with CKZ of different concentrations respectively, for 48 h in vitro. The mRNA expressions of T-bet, GATA-3, IFN-gamma and IL-4 in the sediment collected from the cultures were measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction technology.

RESULTS

As compared with those in the blank group, in the CKZ groups, T-bet mRNA expression and IFN-gamma mRNA expression were significantly higher, especially in CKZ II group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05 resepectively); GATA-3 mRNA expression was insignificantly different (P > 0.05); IL-4 mRNA expression was significantly lower (P < 0.01). Moreover, the ratios of T-bet/GATA-3 and IFN-gamma/IL-4 were higher in the CKZ groups than those in the blank group, respectively, though showing insignificant difference in the former (P > 0.05), the difference in the latter was certainly significant (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Chinese herbs for tonifying Shen can adjust the imbalance of Th1/Th2 in multiple layers by enhancing the function of Th1 cells and attenuating the function of Th2 cells, which may be realized through various links as regulating the expression of transcription factors and cytokines.