Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 2005 February; 26 (2): 223-227; doi: 10.111/j.1745-7254.2005.00035.x

Acta Pharmacologica Sinica 2005 February; 26 (2): 223-227; doi: 10.111/j.1745-7254.2005.00035.x

Original Article

Triptolide suppresses CD80 and CD86 expressions and IL-12 production in THP-1 cells¹

Jing LIU, Qing-li WU, Yong-hong FENG, Yi-fu YANG, Xiao-yu LI, Jian-ping ZUO²

State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China

Aim: To investigate the effects of triptolide, a diterpenoid triepoxide from Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF), on the co-stimulatory molecule expression and interleukin-12 (IL-12) production from THP-1 cells.

Methods: THP-1 cells were differentiated into macrophage-like cells by Me₂SO, and then cultured with IFN-γ (500 kU/L) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (1 mg/L) with or without triptolide. The surface molecule expressions were analyzed on a FACScan flow cytometer. IL-12p40, IL-12p70 were assayed by ELISA.

Results: Tripolide suppressed CD80 and CD86 expressions on IFN-γ (500 kU/L) and LPS (1 mg/L) activated THP-1 cells at nontoxic dosages of 2.5-0.625 µg/L. Furthermore, the production of IL-12p40 and IL-12p70 were also significantly reduced in THP-1 cells exposed to triptolide.

Conclusion: Triptolide impairs the antigen-presenting function by inhibiting CD80 and CD86 expressions and decreased IL-12p40 and IL-12p70 (bioactive form) productions from the activated THP-1 cells.

Keywords: triptolide; CD80 antigens; CD86 antigens; interleukin-12

¹Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No A30171086) and the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No KSCX2-SW-202).

²Correspondence to Dr Jian-ping ZUO.
Phn/Fax 86-21-5080-6701.
E-mail jpzuo@mail.shcnc.ac.cn
Received 2004-08-25 Accepted 2004-11-02

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