AIP1, a water-soluble fraction from Artemisia iwayomogi, suppresses thymocyte apoptosis in vitro and down-regulates the expression of fas gene

The AIP1 fraction, a small water-soluble fraction purified from Artemisia iwayomogi, was shown to increase antibody production and suppress transplanted tumor cell growth in mice. In order to understand its immunomodulating activity, we have examined the effect of the AIP1 on mouse thymocytes in vitro. Treatment of mouse thymocytes in culture with the fraction resulted in the suppression of the cell death and the extension of the cell survival. A mouse gene array provided a profile of gene expression change showing the pattern of up- and down-regulated genes by the AIP1 treatment, suggesting that the Fas/FasL-dependent apoptosis pathway might be modulated by the fraction.