• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.685-695
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• 2009

Objectives : In this study, the author tried to investigate whether Geonpye-tang(GPT) significantly affects PMA-, EGF- or TNF-alpha-induced MUC5AC mucin production and gene expression from human airway epithelial cells. Materials and Methods : Effects of the agent on PMA-, EGF- or TNF-alpha-induced MUC5AC mucin production and gene expression from human airway epithelial cells (NCI-H292) were investigated. Confluent NCI-H292 cells were pretreated for 30 min in the presence of GPT and treated with PMA (10ng/ml) or EGF (25ng/ml) or TNF-alpha (0.2nM), to assess both effect of the agent on PMA- or EGF- or TNF-alpha-induced MUC5AC mucin production by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and gene expression by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Possible cytotoxicity of the agent was assessed by examining the rate of survival and proliferation of NCI-H292 cells after treatment with the agent over 72 hrs (SRB assay). Results : (1) GPT significantly inhibited PMA-induced and EGF-induced MUC5AC mucin production from NCI-H292 cells. However, GPT did not affect TNF-alpha-induced MUC5AC mucin production. (2) GPT significantly inhibited the expression levels of PMA-, EGF- or TNF-alpha-induced MUC5AC genes in NCI-H292 cells (3) GPT did not show significant cytotoxicity to NCI-H292 cells. Conclusion : This result suggests that GPT can affect the production and gene expression of respiratory mucin observed in diverse respiratory diseases accompanied by mucus hypersecretion. This can explain the traditional use of GPT in oriental medicine. Effects of GPT with their components should be further investigated using animal experimental models that reflect pathophysiology of airway diseases through future studies.