摘要
Background Pachymic acid （PA）, a natural triterpenoid, is known to significantly reduce cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in vitro through initiation of mitochondria dysfunction. However, its effect on immune cells and anti-rejection following organ transplantation remains unknown. Methods In this study, we investigated PA as a treatment to control acute rejection occurred in rats which had accepted cardiac transplantation. We measured apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocyte （PBLs）, and CD4^＋ lymphocyte, as well as the number of CD4^＋ and CD8^＋ lymphocytes and the effect of PA on acute rejection in rats 7 days after cardiac transplantation. Results PA treatment might decrease allograft rejection, protect PBLs from apoptosis, and reduce the percentage of CD8^＋ lymphocyte. PA neither regulated the number nor the apoptosis rate of CD4^＋ lymphocyte. Conclusions Our findings indicated that PA has an anti-apoptotic effect acting on PBLs through a novel mechanism involving stabilization of the PBLs mitochondrial transmembrane potential, an anti-rejection effect in rats after cardiac transplantation and an inhibiting effect to CD8^＋ lymphocyte.
Background Pachymic acid （PA）, a natural triterpenoid, is known to significantly reduce cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in vitro through initiation of mitochondria dysfunction. However, its effect on immune cells and anti-rejection following organ transplantation remains unknown. Methods In this study, we investigated PA as a treatment to control acute rejection occurred in rats which had accepted cardiac transplantation. We measured apoptosis of peripheral blood lymphocyte （PBLs）, and CD4^＋ lymphocyte, as well as the number of CD4^＋ and CD8^＋ lymphocytes and the effect of PA on acute rejection in rats 7 days after cardiac transplantation. Results PA treatment might decrease allograft rejection, protect PBLs from apoptosis, and reduce the percentage of CD8^＋ lymphocyte. PA neither regulated the number nor the apoptosis rate of CD4^＋ lymphocyte. Conclusions Our findings indicated that PA has an anti-apoptotic effect acting on PBLs through a novel mechanism involving stabilization of the PBLs mitochondrial transmembrane potential, an anti-rejection effect in rats after cardiac transplantation and an inhibiting effect to CD8^＋ lymphocyte.
基金
The work was supported by a grant from the Molecular Biology Laboratory of the Second Hospital Affiliated to Harbin Medical University （Harbin, China） for building animal model, cellular extraction and staining, the Pathological Research Center of the Harbin Medical University （Harbin, China） for producing and assessment tissular section and the Dairy Science Center of Northeast Agricultural University （Harbin, China） for flow cytometry analysis. This studying was supported by a grant from National Nature Science Foundation of China （No. 30671975）.
