To evaluate the direct effects of Cyperi Rhizoma (CR), a plant water extract, on Th1/Th2 lineage development in vitro, this study was conducted. Sorted CD4(+) T cells obtained from the splenocytes of BALB/c mice were activated with anti-CD3/anti-CD28 and then cultured in medium that contained CR medium under Th1 inducing or Th2 inducing conditions. Subsequently, IFN-gamma or IL-4 secreting cells were quantitated using flow cytometry analysis. In addition, IFN-gamma and IL-4 protein secretions were detected by ELISA analysis, after which, IFN-gamma and T-bet transcripts, key players in the Th1 immune function, and also, IL-4 and GATA-3, which are primary components in the Th2 immune mechanism, were quantitated by real-time RT-PCR. CR had no mitogenic effects on un-stimulated CD4(+) T cells, however, it increased the CD4(+) T cell population. Th1/Th2 polarization experiments revealed that CR enhanced IFN-gamma secretion in Th1 cells, but reduced the IL-4 in Th2 cells, and this occurred in a dose-dependent manner and showed significances. In addition, under Th1/Th2 skewed conditions, the transcription levels of IFN-gamma and T-bet were considerably increased, while the expressions of IL-4 and GATA-3 were relatively decreased with CR treatment. These findings suggest that CR enhances Th1 lineage development by increasing Th1 specific cytokine expression and secretion and reduces Th2 lineage development by repressing Th2 specific cytokine productions. Therefore, CR extract may be useful for preventing the onset of allergies or improving allergic symptoms.
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