title: Curcumin attenuates allergic airway inflammation by regulation of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs)/Th17 balance in ovalbumin-sensitized mice.
abstract: The present study aimed to determine the protective effects and the underlying mechanisms of curcumin on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic inflammation in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Asthma mice model was established by ovalbumin. A total of 60 mice were randomly assigned to six experimental groups: control, model, dexamethasone (2 mg/kg), and curcumin (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg). Airway resistance (Raw) was measured by the forced oscillation technique, differential cell count in BAL fluid (BALF) was measured by Wright-Giemsa staining, histological assessment was measured by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, BALF levels of Treg/Th17 cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Treg cells and Th17 cells were evaluated by flow cytometry (FCM). Our study demonstrated that curcumin inhibited OVA-induced increases in eosinophil count; interleukin (IL)-17A level were recovered in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid increased IL-10 level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histological studies demonstrated that curcumin substantially inhibited OVA-induced eosinophilia in lung tissue. Flow cytometry (FCM) studies demonstrated that curcumin remarkably inhibited Th17 cells and significantly increased Treg cells. The results in vivo show ovalbumin-induced significantly broke Treg/Th17 balance; curcumin treatments markedly attenuated the inflammatory in asthma model by regulating Treg/Th17 balance. Our findings support the possible use of curcumin as a therapeutic drug for patients with allergic asthma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology of Chinese Materia Medica, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, Jiangsu, PR China.
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Zhanqiang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.forename: Shiping
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000403:Airway Resistance; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004802:Eosinophilia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000378:metabolism; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015704:CD4 Antigens; D020381:Interleukin-17; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D010936:Plant Extracts; D016753:Interleukin-10; D010047:Ovalbumin; D003474:Curcumin