Combination of Paeoniae Radix and Cnidii Rhizoma Prolonged Survival of Fully Mismatched Cardiac Allografts and Generated Regulatory Cells in Mice. (19th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jin, Xiangyuan; Yu, Lei; Uchiyama, Masateru; Yin, Enzhi; Harada, Tadanori; Otsuka, Ken; Matsuyama, Shigefumi; Imazuru, Tomohiro; Shimokawa, Tomoki; Niimi, Masanori
• Other Names: Yamada Haruki Academic Editor.
• Is Part Of: Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. Volume 2014(2014)
• Publication Date: 2014-03-19
• Subjects: Alternative medicine -- Periodicals; 615.505
• DOI: 10.1155/2014/841408
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1741-427X

Abstract

Abstract : In previous studies, we have demonstrated that Tokishakuyakusan (TJ-23) can prolong the survival of allogeneic cardiac grafts and induce regulatory T cells. In this study we investigated the effects of Paeoniae radix and Cnidii rhizoma, two components of TJ-23, on alloimmune responses in a murine cardiac transplantation model and whether the two agents have synergistic effect. CBA mice underwent transplantation of a C57BL/6 heart and received oral administration of 2 g/kg/day of Paeoniae radix, Cnidii rhizoma, or the mixture of two agents from the day of transplantation until 7 days afterward. Naïve CBA mice rejected C57BL/6 cardiac graft acutely (median survival time (MST): 7 days). Paeoniae radix and Cnidii rhizoma prolonged C57BL/6 allograft survival (MSTs: 13.5 and 15.5 days, resp.). However, the mixture of two agents prolonged C57BL/6 allograft survival indefinitely (MST > 100 days). Secondary CBA recipients given whole splenocytes from primary combination-treated CBA recipients with B6 cardiac allografts 30 days after grafting had prolonged survival of B6 hearts (MST: 33 days). Flow cytometry studies showed that the CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + regulatory cell population was increased in combination-treated recipients. Combination of Paeoniae radix and Cnidii rhizoma induced hyporesponsiveness to fully allogeneic cardiac allografts and may generate CD4 + CD25 + Foxp3 + regulatory cells in our model.