Immune activation by a sterile aqueous extract of Cordyceps sinensis: mechanism of action.
Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol
; 30(1): 53-70, 2008.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-18306104
Cordyceps sinensis is a fungus that has been used for over 2,000 years in China as a treatment for a variety of conditions including infectious diseases. The available evidence suggests a hypothesis that any efficacy of C. sinensis as an anti-infective therapeutic would be related to a role as an activator of innate immune responses. The objectives of this study were first to investigate the ability of C. sinensis to activate pro-inflammatory responses in macrophages in vitro and induce protective responses against intracellular pathogens in vivo, and second to characterize a method of action. We found that C. sinensis activates murine macrophages to produce a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines. IFN-gamma synergizes with C. sinensis to amplify this response. Bacterial endotoxin contamination was ruled out as a potential artefact. The evidence presented in this study supports a hypothesis that C. sinensis activates macrophages by engaging Toll-like receptors and inducing mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways characteristic of inflammatory stimuli.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Extractos de Tejidos
/
Citocinas
/
Cordyceps
/
Activación de Macrófagos
/
Macrófagos
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Immunopharmacol Immunotoxicol
Asunto de la revista:
ALERGIA E IMUNOLOGIA
/
FARMACOLOGIA
/
TOXICOLOGIA
Año:
2008
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Canadá