Effects of lactose-beta-sitosterol and beta-sitosterol on ovalbumin-induced lung inflammation in actively sensitized mice.
Asthma is a disease marked by chronic lung inflammation and the number of patients suffering from asthma increases annually. Both beta-sitosterol (BS) and beta-sitosterol glucoside exist in a variety of plants and have anti-tumor, anti-microbial, and immunomodulatory activities. However, the precise role of BS and beta-sitosterol glucoside in asthma has not been well understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of BS and lactose-BS (L-BS) on the pathophysiological process in ovalbumin-induced asthmatic mice. The total cells and eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid markedly decreased (p<0.05) after L-BS or BS administration (1 mg/kg; i.p.), and the ROS production also decreased in comparison to the asthma control. Histopathological features were detected by performing histochemistry, including H&E and alcian blue & P.A.S staining. Both L-BS and BS mitigated the inflammation by eosinophil infiltration and mucus hypersecretion by goblet hyperplasia. These effects of L-BS were superior to those of BS. L-BS and BS inhibited the increased mRNA and protein expression of IL-4 and IL-5 in the lung tissue and BAL fluid, respectively. The IgE concentration in the BAL fluid and serum was measured by performing ELISA and the ovalbumin-specific IgE in the BAL fluid was uniquely inhibited by L-BS (p<0.05). The splenocytes were isolated from the normal and asthmatic mice and incubated in the absence and presence of 100 microg/ml ovalbumin, respectively. L-BS blocked the survival rate of the splenocytes of the mice (p<0.01). This finding indicates the possibility of L-BS and BS as potential therapeutic molecules in asthma and may contribute to the need to improve current therapeutic drugs.
Yuk
Ji Eun
JE
Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science, School of Medicine, Eulji University, Daejeon 301-832, Republic of Korea.
Woo
Jin Suk
JS
Yun
Chi-Young
CY
Lee
Ji-Sook
JS
Kim
Joo-Hwan
JH
Song
Gyu-Yong
GY
Yang
Eun Ju
EJ
Hur
In Kang
IK
Kim
In Sik
IS
D000818:Animals; D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000737:chemistry / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D006027:Glycosides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D007785:Lactose / Q000737:chemistry; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D015394:Molecular Structure; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012855:Sitosterols / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014611:Vaccination
D018927:Anti-Asthmatic Agents; D006027:Glycosides; D018793:Interleukin-13; D015848:Interleukin-5; D012855:Sitosterols; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; C025473:gamma-sitosterol; D010047:Ovalbumin; D007785:Lactose