title: Diosgenin, a plant-derived sapogenin, enhances regulatory T-cell immunity in the intestine of mice with food allergy.
abstract: It was hypothesized that the suppressive effect of diosgenin (1) on the intestinal T helper (Th)2 responses is associated with an enhancement of the regulatory T-cell immunity. Ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized BALB/c mice were gavaged daily with 1 and received repeatedly oral OVA challenges to induce intestinal allergic responses. The expression of Th2- and Treg-related cytokines and transcription factors was examined by immunohistochemical staining and RT-PCR. Administration of 1 markedly attenuated the intestinal expression of interleukin (IL)-4 and GATA3. In addition, administration of 1 reversed the diminished density of intestinal Foxp3(+) cells induced by OVA oral challenges and enhanced the expression of IL-10 by Foxp3(+) cells markedly. These results suggest that the suppressive effect of 1 on allergen-induced intestinal Th2 responses is closely associated with an up-regulation of the regulatory T-cell immunity in the inflammatory site.
authors.affiliation: Department and Graduate Institute of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan 106, Republic of China.
authors.forename: Chung-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Der-Zen
authors.initials: DZ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Tong-Rong
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Jan
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D027742:Dioscorea / Q000737:chemistry; D004144:Diosgenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005512:Food Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology*; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor / Q000032:analysis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000032:analysis; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D050990:GATA3 Transcription Factor; D015847:Interleukin-4; D010047:Ovalbumin; D004144:Diosgenin