Reversal of Apoptotic Resistance by Lycium barbarum Glycopeptide 3 in Aged T Cells1

ObjectiveTo study whether Lycium barbarum glycopeptide 3 (LBGP3) affects T cell apoptosis in aged mice.MethodsLBGP3 was purified with DEAE cellulose and Sephadex columns. Apoptotic “sub-G1 peak” was detected by flow cytometry and DNA ladder was resolved by agarose gel electrophoresis. Levels of IFN-γ and IL-10 were measured with specific kits and mRNA expression was detected by RT-PCR. Apoptosis-related proteins of FLIP, FasL, and Bcl-2 were determined by Western blotting.ResultsLBGP3 was purified from Fructus Lycii water extracts and identified as a 41 kD glycopeptide. Treatment with 200 μg/mL LBGP3 increased the apoptotic rate of T cells from aged mice and showed a similar DNA ladder pattern to that in young T cells. The reversal of apoptotic resistance was involved in down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and FLIP, and up-regulating the expression of FasL.ConclusionLycium barbarum glycopeptide 3 reverses apoptotic resistance of aged T cells by modulating the expression of apoptosis-related molecules.