Immunosuppressive effects of ginsenoside-Rd on skin allograft rejection in rats

Abstract

Background: Organ transplantation is a life-saving procedure for patients with organ failure. However, the side effects of long-term application of classic immunosuppressant remain major obstacles for successful transplantation. Therefore, new and safe immunosuppressive drugs against acute and chronic rejection are eagerly awaited.

Materials and methods: In the present study, we detected the effect of ginsenoside-Rd on mitogen-induced mouse spleen lymphocytes proliferation in vitro and observed the effect of ginsenoside-Rd on allograft rejection in a rat skin transplantation model. Th1/Th2 type cytokines secretion and T-cell subsets were also detected.

Results: The results showed that ginsenoside-Rd could markedly inhibit Concanavalin A (ConA)-induced mouse spleen T lymphocytes proliferation. Also, ginsenoside-Rd could significantly prolong the mean survival time of skin allograft and improve the skin allograft pathological damage. Furthermore, ginsenoside-Rd could markedly suppress alloantigen-specific production of Th1 cytokines IL-2 and IFN-γ as well as proinflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-12. In parallel, Th2 cytokine IL-10 production in serum of rat recipients was markedly up-regulated. Ginsenoside-Rd at a dose of 25 mg/kg could significantly reduce the percentages of CD4(+) T cells and CD8(+) T cells in peripheral blood of rat recipients.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that ginsenoside-Rd can effectively antagonize transplant rejection, which might qualify ginsenoside-Rd as a putative, therapeutic drug for the treatment of Th1-driven diseases, including transplant rejection.