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Molecules 2011, 16(10), 8343-8352; doi:10.3390/molecules16108343

Article

Down-Regulation of Treg Cells and Up-Regulation of Th1/Th2 Cytokine Ratio Were Induced by Polysaccharide from Radix Glycyrrhizae in H22 Hepatocarcinoma Bearing Mice

Xiaojuan He ^1,† , Xiaobing Li ^1,2,† , Biao Liu ³ , Li Xu ⁴ , Hongyan Zhao ⁵  and Aiping Lu ^1,*

¹ Institute of Basic Research in Clinical Medicine, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China ² School of Basic Medicine, Henan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou 450008, China ³ School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China ⁴ College of Life Science and Technology, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing 100029, China ⁵ Institute of Basic Theory, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China ^† These authors contributed equally to this work.

* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: 17 August 2011; in revised form: 26 September 2011 / Accepted: 27 September 2011 / Published: 30 September 2011

Download PDF Full-Text [551 KB, uploaded 30 September 2011 09:58 CEST]

Abstract: Radix Glycyrrhizae polysaccharide (GP) possesses multiple pharmacological activities. However, the effect of GP on CD4+CD25+ regulatory T (Treg) cells has not been elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the effects of GP on Treg cells and Th1/Th2 cytokines in H22 hepatocarcinoma tumor-bearing mice. The results demonstrated that GP inhibits tumor progression. In the lymph nodes of the tumor microenvironment and spleen, the proportion of Treg cells was significantly higher in the tumor-bearing mice. GP administration down-regulated the population of Treg cells (P < 0.01) and decreased lymph node Foxp3 and IL-10 mRNA expression (P < 0.01). In addition, GP treatment decreased IL-10 and TGF-β level (P < 0.01) and increased IL-2 and IL-12p70 level in serum (P < 0.01). In conclusion, GP reduced the proportion of Treg cells and Foxp3 lowered expression in Treg cells, and up-regulated Th1/Th2 cytokine ratio in serum in the tumor bearing mice, which might partially cause the inhibition of tumor growth.

Keywords: CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells; Radix Glycyrrhizae polysaccharide; tumor; Th1/Th2 cytokines

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