title: Galectin-9 administration ameliorates CVB3 induced myocarditis by promoting the proliferation of regulatory T cells and alternatively activated Th2 cells.
abstract: In this study we explored the effects of galectin-9 on CVB3 induced myocarditis and its possible mechanisms involved. We demonstrated that galectin-9 expression was significantly up-regulated in the myocardium following CVB3 infection and was correlated with the severity of viral myocarditis. To explore whether galectin-9 may have therapeutic effect on the CVB3 induced myocarditis, galectin-9 was administered daily to mice following CVB3 infection. Significantly reduced CD4(+) T cells and remarkably increased regulatory T cells frequency in the heart tissue were found as compared to the non-treated mice. It was accompanied by a significant decreased level of Th1 cytokines as TNF-α and IFN-γ both in the myocardium and serum, and an increased level of Th2 cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10. Galectin-9 was further found to promote the proliferation of regulatory T cells and elevated IL-4-secreting Th2 cells. It may represent as a novel therapeutic strategy in treating Th1-mediated inflammatory cardiac disease.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Immunobiology, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Cuini
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Toshiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Niki
authors.forename: Mitsuomi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirashima
authors.forename: Sidong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Xiong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002469:Cell Separation; D003384:Coxsackievirus Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D029822:Enterovirus B, Human; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D037161:Galectins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins; D007155:Immunologic Factors; C508186:galectin 9, mouse