Icariin attenuates glucocorticoid insensitivity mediated by repeated psychosocial stress on an ovalbumin-induced murine model of asthma.
Evidence shows that psychosocial stress exacerbates asthma, but there is little intervention to alleviate negative effects of psychosocial stress on asthma. We investigated the role of icariin in anti-inflammation and anti-anxiety potential in a murine model combined psychosocial stress with allergic exposure. The results indicated that icariin administered remarkable increased activity in the center of the open field, reversed airway hyperresponsivenesss, reduced inflammatory cytokine infiltration to the lung and whole body and also in part recovered glucocorticoid responsiveness. Furthermore, our data also showed that icariin significantly inhibited increases of corticosterone and markedly increased glucocorticoid receptor mRNA and protein expression in the lungs of mice exposed to both stress and allergen. Collectively, we speculate that inducing glucocorticoid receptor modulation might be the potential mechanisms of icariin to facilitate corticosteroid responsiveness of cytokine production.
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Bei
B
Li
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Xiaohong
X
Duan
Hangzhou Normal University, School of medicine, Affiliated Hospital, Hangzhou 310015, China.
Changqing
C
Xu
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Jinfeng
J
Wu
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Baojun
B
Liu
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Yiji
Y
Du
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Qingli
Q
Luo
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Hualiang
H
Jin
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China; Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China.
Weiyi
W
Gong
Department of Integrative Medicine, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai 200040, China. Electronic address: jcdong2004@126.com.
Jingcheng
J
Dong
D000485:Allergens / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007073:Immunoglobulin E / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology
D000485:Allergens; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D005419:Flavonoids; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D007073:Immunoglobulin E; D010047:Ovalbumin; C056599:icariin; D003345:Corticosterone
Asthma; Glucocorticoid insensitivity; Glucocorticoid receptor; Icariin; Psychosocial stress