title: Curcumin attenuates acute graft-versus-host disease severity via in vivo regulations on Th1, Th17 and regulatory T cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In this study we examined the in vivo and in vitro effects and mechanisms of action of curcumin on the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) using a murine model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mixed lymphocyte reactions were used to determine the in vitro effects of curcumin. Treatment with curcumin attenuated alloreactive T cell proliferation and inhibited the production of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-17. In a murine acute GVHD model, transplantation of curcumin-treated allogeneic splenocytes into irradiated recipient mice significantly reduced the clinical severity scores of acute GVHD manifested in the liver, skin, colon and lung as compared with animals receiving vehicle-treated splenocytes. c-Fos and c-Jun expression levels in the skin and intestine, which are major target organs, were analyzed using immunohistochemical staining. Expression of both proteins was reduced in epithelial tissues of skin and intestine from curcumin-treated GVHD animals. The IFN-γ-expressing CD4(+) splenocytes and IFN-γ-expressing lymph node cells were dramatically decreased in curcumin-treated mice. In contrast, CD4(+)Foxp3(+) splenocytes were increased in the curcumin-treated acute GVHD animals. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that animals transplanted with curcumin-treated allogeneic splenocytes showed increased populations of CD4(+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) as well as CD8(+) Treg cells, compared to animals administered vehicle-treated splenocytes. Curcumin-treated acute GVHD animals could have a change in B cell subpopulations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, we investigated the efficacy and mechanism of action of curcumin treatment against acute GVHD. The acute GVHD mice administered with curcumin-treated splenocytes showed significantly reduced severity of acute GVHD. Curcumin exerted in vivo preventive effects on acute GVHD by reciprocal regulation of T helper 1 (Th1) and Treg (both CD4(+) and CD8(+) Treg) cell lineages as well as B cell homeostasis.
authors.affiliation: The Rheumatism Research Center, Catholic Research Institute of Medical Science, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Su-Jin
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Sung-Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun-Ji
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Jun-Ki
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Min
authors.forename: Seok-Goo
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Chul-Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Sung-Hwan
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Ho-Youn
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Mi-La
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cho
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016026:Bone Marrow Transplantation; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D020381:Interleukin-17 / Q000378:metabolism; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D020381:Interleukin-17; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D003474:Curcumin