The Effects of Bushen Jianpi Recipe on the Maturation of Plasmacytoid Dendric Cell to Treat Chronic Hepatitis B 

Abstract

Background: Plasmacytoid dendritic cell (pDC) has been reported showing obvious maturation and deficient function in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. One of the traditional Chinese medicine, Bushen Jianpi Recipe (BSJPR), has efficacy in suppressing HBV by improving immune system. In this study, we explained its mechanism on cellular level.Methods: We measured the contents of pDC maturation-related extracellular cytokines and intracellular signaling pathway proteins in HBV-infected or not infected PBMCs and pDCs to explore the cellular mechanism of BSJPR. There were six groups: a normal serum control group added with fetal bovine serum, a rat serum control group added with normal serum, two HBV virus groups added with normal serum and HBV with different concentrations, and two BSJPR groups added with drug-containing serum and HBV with different concentrations.Results: It was revealed that the effect of BSJPR on extracellular cytokines was vague, while intracellular toll-like receptor (TLR) /myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) /TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-β (TRIF) signaling pathway proteins were induced by BSJPR.Conclusions: This study confirmed that BSJPR induces pDC to alleviate CHB via up-regulating intracellular TLR/MyD88/TRIF signaling pathway proteins rather than directly regulating extracellular cytokines.