title: Silibinin attenuates antigen-specific IgE production through the modulation of Th1/Th2 balance in ovalbumin-sensitized BALB/c mice.
abstract: The effect of silibinin on antigen-specific antibody production and T-cell cytokine expression was investigated. BALB/c mice were either left untreated or administered daily with vehicle (VH; saline) and/or silibinin (200 or 400 mg/kg) by gavage for 3 consecutive days prior to sensitization with ovalbumin (OVA). The antibody production in the serum and T-cell-derived cytokine expression by splenocytes were determined 7 days post OVA sensitization. Our results demonstrated that the production of OVA-specific serum IgE and total IgE was significantly attenuated by silibinin treatment, whereas OVA-specific IgG(2a) was markedly enhanced. In parallel with the differential modulation of the production of IgG(2a) and IgE, treatment of OVA-sensitized mice with silibinin markedly increased and decreased the production of IFN-gamma and IL-4, respectively, by splenocytes cultured in the presence of OVA. Together, these results suggest that silibinin treatment polarizes the Th1/Th2 immune balance toward the Th1-dominant direction, which may be beneficial against IgE-mediated allergy.
authors.affiliation: Department and Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, No. 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei 10617, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Fu-Hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Tong-Rong
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Jan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D000941:Antigens / Q000276:immunology; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D020944:Silybum marianum; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000077385:Silybin; D012838:Silymarin / Q000494:pharmacology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D000941:Antigens; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012838:Silymarin; D015847:Interleukin-4; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D000077385:Silybin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin