Selective priming of Th1-mediated antigen-specific immune responses following oral administration of mixed prescriptions of traditional Korean medicines

• Published in: Clinica chimica acta 2003-03, Vol.329 (1), p.133-142
• Main Authors: Lee, Jeong-Chae, Jung, Ha-Na, Kim, Ju, Woo, Won-Hong, Jeong, Woo-Yeal, Chung, Gook-Hyun, Jang, Yong-Suk
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Antibody; Antibody Formation - drug effects; Antigen; Antigens - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Death - drug effects; Cell Division - drug effects; Chickens - immunology; Cytokine; Cytokines - biosynthesis; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Glycoproteins - metabolism; Immune modulation; Immunoglobulin G - biosynthesis; Immunoglobulin G - immunology; Immunomodulators; Interferon-gamma - pharmacology; Interleukin-4 - pharmacology; Korea; Lymphocytes - drug effects; Medical sciences; Medicine, East Asian Traditional; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Muramidase - immunology; Ovalbumin - immunology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Spleen - cytology; Spleen - drug effects; Th1 Cells - immunology; Traditional Korean medicine; Tropical medicine
• ISSN: 0009-8981; 1873-3492
• DOI: 10.1016/S0009-8981(03)00014-7

Background: In previous studies, we showed that oral administration of traditional Korean medicines, Soamsan (SA) and Bo-yang-hwan-o-tang (BHT), modulated antigen-specific immune responses in mice. Methods: We attempted to strengthen cell-mediated immune responses in mice using two mixed prescriptions composed mainly of components used in SA and/or BHT. The effect of oral administration of the medicines on the induction of antigen-specific immune responses was investigated using hen egg-white lysozyme (HEL) as a model antigen system. Results: Following oral administration, HEL-specific cellular immune responses were enhanced in HEL low-responder mice, and the concentrations of gamma interferon (IFN-γ), but not interleukin (IL)-4, increased significantly. In addition, the prescriptions decreased the level of HEL-specific antibodies of the immunoglobulin (Ig)G1 subtype, which is associated with helper T lymphocyte (Th2) cell stimulation. Moreover, the presence of the medicines in vitro significantly increased IFN-γ production from mouse splenocytes, and the magnitude of the increase was closely associated with glycoprotein concentrations. Conclusions: The Korean prescriptions enhanced anti-HEL-specific cellular immune responses by selectively priming specific subtypes of the helper T cell population. Consequently, they might be useful therapy for patients who need enhanced Th1, or to suppress Th2 immune responses.