THE INDUCTION OF CYTOKINE GENE-EXPRESSION IN MURINE PERITONEAL-MACROPHAGES BY PSEUDOSTELLARIA-HETEROPHYLLA

We have previously shown that a mitogenic fraction (PH-I) separated fr om Pseudostellaria heterophylla (P. heterophylla) could act as a primi ng agent for the release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in mice. In the present study, PH-I was further purified by gel filtrati on chromatography and the resulting three fractions (PH-I A, PH-I B an d PH-I C) were assessed for the induction of TNF-alpha, interleukin-1- alpha (IL-1-alpha) and IL-1-beta gene expression in mice by enzyme-lin ked immunosorbent assay and polymerase chain reaction. It was found th at fraction PH-I C from P. heterophylla was the most potent priming fr action among the three fractions for the induction of TNF-alpha in ser um and the TNF-alpha mRNA in murine macrophages. Moreover, all three f ractions were found to increase the expression of IL-1-alpha mRNA whil e PH-I 61 showed the most potent activating effect on the expression o f IL-1-beta mRNA.