Premium
Paeoniflorin induces apoptosis of lymphocytes through a redox‐linked mechanism
Author(s) -
Tsuboi Hideo,
Hossain Khaled,
Akhand Anwarul A.,
Takeda Kozue,
Du Jun,
Rifa'i Muhaimin,
Dai Yan,
Hayakawa Akemi,
Suzuki Haruhiko,
Nakashima Izumi
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of cellular biochemistry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.028
H-Index - 165
eISSN - 1097-4644
pISSN - 0730-2312
DOI - 10.1002/jcb.20134
Subject(s) - paeoniflorin , apoptosis , p38 mitogen activated protein kinases , kinase , reactive oxygen species , chemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , dna fragmentation , jurkat cells , protein kinase a , dithiothreitol , biochemistry , biology , programmed cell death , t cell , immunology , high performance liquid chromatography , immune system , chromatography , enzyme
Paeoniflorin (PF), isolated from paeony root, has been used as a herbal medicine for more than 1,200 years in China, Korea, and Japan for its anti‐allergic, anti‐inflamatory, and immunoregulatory effects. In this study, we found that PF induces apoptosis in both murine T‐lineage cells and human T‐cell leukemia Jurkat cells. This apoptosis was mediated through the reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential, activation of caspase, and fragmentation of DNA. Interestingly, PF induced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and a reducing agent, dithiothreitol (DTT), and a ROS scavenger, N ‐acetyl cysteine (NAC), successfully attenuated the PF‐induced apoptosis. Additionally, PF induced the phosphorylation of three mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) family kinases, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase, c‐Jun amino‐terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAP kinase. Curcumin, an anti‐oxidant and JNK inhibitor, inhibited PF‐induced apoptosis, suggesting the possible involvement of curcumin‐sensitive JNK or other redox‐sensitive elements in PF‐induced apoptosis. These results partially explain the action mechanism of PF‐containing paeony root as a herbal medicine. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.