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KMID : 0613820090190030411
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Journal of Life Science
2009 Volume.19 No. 3 p.411 ~ p.416
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Effects of Chitosan on the Production of Th1 and Th2 Cytokines in Mice
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Kim Kwang-Hyuk
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Abstract
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Chitosan is derived from chitin by a process of controlled deacetylation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of chitosan on the production of cytokines such as interleukin-2 (IL-2), interferon- γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in mice. The culture supernatants of splenocytes exposed with chitosan alone or chitosan plus cell stimulants, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), concanavalin A (Con A), and phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) were harvested to assay IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, and IL-10 production. IL-2, IFN-γ, and IL-4 from splenocytes exposed to chitosan showed a greater increase compared to the PBS control group. IL-2 and IFN-γ levels in the culture supernatants from splenocytes exposed to LPS+chitosan were higher than those of the groups exposed to LPS alone. IL-4 and IL-10 levels in the culture supernatants from splenocytes exposed to LPS+chitosan were lower than those of the groups exposed to LPS only. These findings demonstrate that chitosan upregulates the immune responses by Th1 cytokines (IL-2 and IFN-γ) and downregulates those by Th2 cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10) in LPS-associated immunity. These results show the potential of its usefulness for balancing the Th1/Th2 immune response, if more research results were accumulated.
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KEYWORD
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Chitosan, cytokine, IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, mice
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