Immunomodulatory effects of licochalcone A on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis.
OBJECTIVE
Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is a murine autoimmune disease used to study multiple sclerosis. Herein, we have investigated the immunomodulatory effect of licochalcone A (LicoA) on NO, H2 O2 , tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and IL-17 production in cultured cells from EAE mice.


METHODS
EAE was induced in C57Bl/6 mice with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein peptide (MOG35-55 ). LicoA was isolated from the roots of Glycyrrhiza inflata. Splenocytes were obtained from EAE mice and incubated with LicoA (4, 20 and 40 μm). Peritoneal cells were obtained from EAE mice treated with LicoA (15 and 30 mg/kg/day. p.o.). H2 O2 , NO, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-17 production was determined in the presence or absence of concanavalin (ConA) or MOG35-55 stimulation.


RESULTS
LicoA (40 μm) inhibited H2 O2 , NO, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-17 production in splenocytes spontaneously or after both ConA and MOG35-55 stimulation. LicoA (30 mg/kg/day) reduced clinical score and severity of EAE mice, and inhibited TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-17 production in peritoneal cells.


CONCLUSIONS
LicoA possesses immunomodulatory effects on H2 O2 , NO, IFN-γ, TNF-α and IL-17 production in cells from EAE mice. It is suggested that LicoA acts on the mechanism of development of EAE by IFN-γ, IL-17 and TNF-α inhibition, modulating the immune response on both Th1 and Th17 cells.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
Lívia Beatriz Almeida
LB
Fontes
Débora
D
Dos Santos Dias
Lara Soares Aleixo
LS
de Carvalho
Harleson Lopes
HL
Mesquita
Lívia
L
da Silva Reis
Alyria Teixeira
AT
Dias
Ademar A
AA
Da Silva Filho
José Otávio
JO
do Amaral Corrêa
D000818:Animals; D047188:Chalcones / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis
D047188:Chalcones; D016207:Cytokines; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C070840:licochalcone A
cytokines; experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis; immunomodulation; multiple sclerosis; natural products