L-thyroxine으로 유발된 갑상선기능항진증 랫트에서 MOK 약침의 Th1/Th2 사이토카인 조절에 의한 면역조절 효과

Abstract

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate immune regulatory effects of the pharmacopuncture with MOK on hyperthyroid rats. Methods : The experimental hyperthyroidism was prepared by the intraperitoneal injection of L-thyroxine&#40LT4, 0.5 mg/kg&#41 once daily for 2 weeks in Sprague-Dawley&#40SD&#41 rats. The pharmacopuncture with MOK extract&#40MOK pharmacopuncture&#41 at doses of 0.3 or 3 mg/kg was injected on acupuncture points in the thyroid glands of hyperthyroid rats once a day for 2 weeks. Propylthiouracil&#40PTU, 10 mg/kg&#41 as a reference group was subcutaneously injected into the dorsal neck. We measured the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in the sera of rats using enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay&#40ELISA&#41 and determined the expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, and Foxp3 in spleen tissues by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction&#40RT-PCR&#41. Results : The treatment of MOK pharmacopuncture in hyperthyroid rats significantly decreased the serum levels of Th1 cytokine, IFN-γ&#40p＜ 0.01 for MOK 0.3 mg/kg, p＜0.05 for MOK 3 mg/kg, and p＜0.05 for PTU&#41 and significantly increased the levels of Th2 cytokine, IL-4&#40p＜0.05 for MOK 0.3 mg/kg, p＜0.001 for MOK 3 mg/kg, and p＜0.05 for PTU&#41 compared to control group. Also, the MOK pharmacopuncture significantly increased IL-4, IL-10&#40p＜0.05 for MOK 3 mg/kg, and p＜0.01 for PTU&#41, and Foxp3&#40p＜0.01 for MOK 0.3 mg/kg, p＜0.05 for MOK 3 mg/kg and p＜0.01 for PTU&#41 in spleen tissues of hyperthyroid rats compared to control group. Conclusions : Our results suggest that MOK pharmacopuncture can help to ameliorate the pathological progression of hyperthyroidism by regulation of the Th1/Th2 imbalance.