title: Dietary apigenin attenuates the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice.
abstract: One of the flavones, apigenin has various physiological functions including anti-inflammatory activities. Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronically relapsing inflammatory disorder that is characterized by pruritic and eczematous skin lesions. To evaluate the anti-allergic effect of apigenin in vivo, we examined the effect of dietary apigenin on picrylchloride (PiCl)-induced AD-like pathology in NC/Nga mice. NC/Nga mice were fed experimental diets containing apigenin from Day 18 after sensitized with PiCl for 4 weeks. Dietary apigenin significantly alleviated the development of skin lesions, accompanied by lower serum immunoglobulin (Ig) G1 and IgE levels in NC/Nga mice. Interferon (IFN)-gamma mRNA expression level in spleen cells from NC/Nga mice was reduced by apigenin feeding. Moreover, interleukin 4-induced signal transducers and activators of transcription 6 phosphorylation in primary spleen cells from BALB/c mice was inhibited by treatment with apigenin. These results suggest that apigenin attenuates exacerbation of AD-like symptoms in part through the reduction of serum IgE level and IFN-gamma expression in NC/Nga mice.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Food Chemistry, Division of Applied Biological Chemistry, Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8581, Japan.
authors.forename: Satomi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Umeda
authors.forename: Shuya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yamashita
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tachibana
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047310:Apigenin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000235:genetics; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D010853:Picryl Chloride; D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors
chemical_list: D050800:STAT6 Transcription Factor; C494100:Stat6 protein, mouse; D015847:Interleukin-4; D047310:Apigenin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010853:Picryl Chloride