title: All-trans retinoic acid down-regulates inflammatory responses by shifting the Treg/Th17 profile in human ulcerative and murine colitis.
abstract: IBD is characterized by uncontrolled immune responses in inflamed mucosa, with dominance of IL-17-producing cells and deficiency of Treg cells. The aim of this study was to explore the effect and mechanisms of RA, the ligand of RARalpha, on immune responses in human and murine colitis. Colonic biopsies from patients with UC were cultured and treated with RA as the agonist of RARalpha or LE135 as the antagonist of RARalpha. Expressions of IL-17 and FOXP3 were detected by immunohistochemistry. Murine colitis was induced by intrarectal administration with TNBS at Day 1. Mice were then i.p.-treated with RA or LE135 daily for 7 days. Cytokine levels in the cultures of mouse LPMCs were measured. Expressions of FOXP3 and IL-17 in colon tissues or MLN were detected by immunohistological analysis. Body weight and colon inflammation were evaluated. RA treatment up-regulated FOXP3 expression and down-regulated IL-17 expression in colon biopsies of patients and in colon tissues and MLN of mice with colitis compared with controls. LPMCs from RA-treated mice produced lower levels of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-17) but more regulatory cytokines (IL-10, TGF-beta) compared with that of untreated mice. LE135 showed the opposite effect of RA. Furthermore, RA ameliorated TNBS-induced colitis in a dose-dependent manner, as seen by improved body weight and colon inflammation. RA down-regulates colon inflammatory responses in patients with IBD in vitro and in murine colitis in vivo, representing a potential therapeutic approach in IBD treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China. baiap@163.com
authors.forename: Aiping
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Nonghua
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Yuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Zhanju
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Zhikang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Peng
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D003984:Dibenzazepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008875:Middle Aged; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000276:immunology; D000072482:Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D003984:Dibenzazepines; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; C498833:Foxp3 protein, mouse; C104182:LE 135; C000607071:RARA protein, human; C000607072:Rara protein, mouse; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D000072482:Retinoic Acid Receptor alpha; D014212:Tretinoin