Abstract: AIM: To investigate the effects of genistein on the expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of asthma patients.METHODS: PBMCs were isolated from blood samples of 32 asthma patients and 31 healthy persons, which was divided into control groups, dexamethasonetreated groups and genistein-treated groups. The expression of NF-κB was analyzed by immunocytochemical staining. The level of TNF-αwas measured by radioimmunoassay.RESULTS: The percentage of NF-κB-positive cells in PBMCs and the level of TNF-αin PBMCs culture supernatants were significantly higher in asthma patients than in healthy persons (all P<0. 01). There was a positive correlation between the percentage of NF-κB-positive cells and the level of TNF-αin asthma patients (P<0. 01). Genistein depressed the expression of NF-κB and the secretion of TNF-αof PBMCs in asthma patients. The percentage of NF-κB-positive cells in PBMCs and the level of TNF-αin PBMCs culture supernatants in asthmatic genistein-treated groups were both significantly lower than those of asthmatic control groups (all P<0. 01), but this depression was not so strong as dexamethasone. There was a positive correlation between the percentage of NF-κBpositive cells and the level of TNF-α in asthmatic genistein-treated groups (P<0. 01).CONCLUSION: There are increases in both expression of NF-κB and the level of TNF-α.Genistein can decrease the expression of NF-κB and the level of TNF-αin asthma patients, so it may has a hidalen effect in treating asthma.

Key words: genistein, asthma, nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor-α