The Effect of
Polysaccharide Krestin on GPx Gene
Expression in Macrophages
PANG Zhan-Jun* , CHEN Yuan and ZHOU Mei
( Research Laboratory of Free Radical Medicine, The First Military Medical
University, Guangzhou 510515, China )
Abstract There are two kinds of
glutathione peroxidases in cells, selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase
(SeGPx) and non-selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase (non-SeGPx, GST),
playing important roles in protecting cells from oxidative injury. In order to
find out whether the effect of polysaccharide Krestin (PSK) is somehow
associated with antioxidant enzymes, its effect on peroxidases gene expression
was studied by determining glutathione peroxidase activities and the contents
of glutathione peroxidase mRNA in PSK-treated mouse peritoneal macrophages. The
results showed that PSK could improve glutathione peroxidase activities and
increase the contents of glutathione peroxidase mRNA in mouse peritoneal
macrophages; PSK might also induce the glutathione peroxidases expression
through synthesis of a new protein.
Key Words Polysaccharide Krestin;
selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase; glutathione S-transferase;
macrophage; immune response modifier
Corresponding author:
Tel, 86-20-85148359; Fax, 86-20-87705671; e-mail, [email protected]