Effects of Yangyin Kangdu powder on T lymphocyte subpopulations and erythrocyte immune functions in irradiated mice

    SHI Hengª²Jun, LIANG Jun, HOU Junª²Feng, ZHANG Yingª²Hua, ZHAO Ningª²Xia, CHENG Jianª²Feng, HAO Xiaoª²Ke, DENG Xianª²Bi

    1Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 2Department of Radiation Therapy, 3Department of Clinical Medical Research, 4Department of Pharmacy, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi¡¯an 710038, China

    ¡¾Abstract¡¿ AIM: To study the changes of cellular immune function in mice with moderate acute irradiation injuries and the protective effects of Yangyin Kangdu powder, a traditional Chinese medicine, on the injuries. METHODS: The mice models of 6 Gy Xª²ray irradiation were established and the mice were randomized into control (A), irradiation (B) and irradiation plus Yangyin Kangdu powder (C) groups. T lymphocyte subpopulations of peripheral blood (including CD4 and CD8) were measured by direct microvolume whole blood immunoflurescent staining technique by flow cytometry, and erythrocyte immune functions (including RBCª²C3bRR and RBCª²ICR) and WBC quantity were observed to evaluate the immune function of mice. RESULTS: The values of CD4, CD8 in groups B and C were significantly lower than those in control group (P<0.01) and the CD4/CD8 ratio in group B was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.01). The RBCª²C3bRR ratio in group B significantly decreased on d 12, 20 and 28 after irradiation (P<0.01) and the RBCª²ICR rosette ratio increased on d 4, 8 and subsequently declined to normal range. The RBCª²C3bRR rosette ratio decreased only on the 12th d and the RBCª²ICR rosette ratio increased only on the 4th d in group C. The RBCª²C3bRR rosette ratio in group C was higher than that in group B on d 4, 12, 20 and 28 (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: The cellular immune function of the mice irradiated by 6 Gy Xª²ray is low and Yangyin Kangdu powder has some protective effects on the cellular immune function after irradiation injuries. ......