Suppression of allergic reactions in ovalbumin-sensitized mice by yam storage proteins dioscorins.
To study the biomedical functions of dioscorins isolated from various species of Dioscorea , we investigated their antiallergic potential using an OVA-induced allergy mouse model. All the dioscorins suppressed allergic reactions by decreasing the serum IgE and histamine levels. The serum IFN-γ and IgG2a levels increased in all the dioscorin-treated mice. The spleen cells from the dioscorin-treated mice also exhibited an up-regulation of IFN-γ secretion in response to ConA stimulation. Although dioscorins did not affect the IgG1 levels, the IL-5 levels decreased to basal levels in mice treated with dioscorins of D. alata or D. japonica and in most of the lymphoid cells of the dioscorin-treated mice in response to ConA stimulation. The decrease of IgE and histamine levels was concomitant with an increase in IFN-γ and IgG2a levels and with a decrease in IL-5 levels, suggesting that dioscorins suppressed the OVA-induced allergic reactions, possibly through modulating an imbalanced Th1/Th2 immune response.
Department of Life Science and Institute of Biotechnology, National Dong Hwa University , Hualien County 974, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Yu-Jhen
YJ
Hsu
Ching-Feng
CF
Weng
Kuo-Wei
KW
Lin
Kuo-Chih
KC
Lin
D000818:Animals; D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027742:Dioscorea / Q000737:chemistry*; D006632:Histamine / Q000378:metabolism; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D015848:Interleukin-5 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D035281:Plant Tubers / Q000737:chemistry; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
D018926:Anti-Allergic Agents; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D015848:Interleukin-5; D010940:Plant Proteins; C095057:dioscorin protein, Dioscorea; D006632:Histamine; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010047:Ovalbumin