title: Artemisinin analogue SM934 ameliorates murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis through enhancing the expansion and functions of regulatory T cell.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Artemisinin analogue SM934 was previously reported to possess immunosuppressive properties. The aim of this study was to determine the effects and the underlying mechanisms of SM934 in murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).
  
  
  METHODS
  Female C57BL/6 mice immunized with MOG35-55 were treated with or without SM934, then the clinical scores and other relevant parameters were assessed. Th1, Th17 and regulatory T (Treg) cell profiles were determined through ELISA, qRT-PCR, flow cytometry and BrdU incorporation assay. The effects of SM934 on Th1, Th17 and Treg cells differentiation were explored through intracellular staining and flow cytometry examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In vivo, administration of SM934 significantly inhibited the development of EAE and suppressed the elevation of serum IL-17. Ex vivo, upon antigen-recall stimulation, IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-17 and IL-6 production were decreased, whereas IL-10 and TGF-β production were increased from the splenocytes isolated from SM934-treated mice. Consistently, both flow cytometry and qRT-PCR results showed that SM934 treatment significantly increased the Treg, while strongly suppressed the Th17 and Th1, responses in the peripheral. Furthermore, in the spinal lesion, SM934 treatment dramatically decreased the infiltration of CD4(+) T cells, within which the Treg cells percentage was enlarged, whereas the Th17, but not Th1 percentage, was significantly decreased comparing with the vehicle-treated groups. Finally, both BrdU incorporation and in vitro Treg differentiation assays revealed that SM934 treatment could directly promote the expansion of Treg cells in vivo and in vitro.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, this study demonstrated that SM934 treatment could ameliorate the murine EAE disease, which might be mediated by inducing Treg differentiation and expansion.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Immunopharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, PR China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Tian-Tian
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiao-Hui
authors.initials: XH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Li-Fei
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.forename: Xiao-Qian
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Feng-Hua
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Jian-Ping
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Zuo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037621:Artemisinins; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D063308:Myelin-Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C550182:beta-aminoarteether maleate; C445081:myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (35-55)