Curcumin ameliorates rat experimental autoimmune neuritis.
Experimental autoimmune neuritis (EAN) is a helper T cell-mediated autoimmune demyelinating inflammatory disease of the peripheral nervous system that serves as an animal model for human Guillain-Barre syndrome. Curcumin, a naturally occurring polyphenolic phytochemical isolated from the medicinal plant Curcuma longa, has anti-inflammatory activities. Here we investigated the therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms of curcumin in EAN rats. Exogenous curcumin treatment (100 mg/kg/day) significantly delayed the onset of EAN neurological signs, ameliorated EAN neurological severity, and reduced body weight loss of EAN rats. In EAN sciatic nerves, curcumin treatment suppressed the inflammatory cell accumulation and the expression of interferon (IFN)-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-17. Furthermore, curcumin treatment significantly decreased the percentage of CD4(+) T helper cells in EAN spleen and suppressed concanavalin A-induced lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. In addition, curcumin altered helper T cell differentiation by decreasing IFN-γ(+) CD4(+) Th1 cells in EAN lymph node and spleen. In summary, our data demonstrate that curcumin could effectively suppress EAN by attenuating inflammation, indicating that curcumin might be a candidate for treatment of autoimmune neuropathies.
Institute of Immunology, Third Military Medical University of PLA, 30 Gaotanyan Mainstreet, Chongqing, People's Republic of China.
Fuyu
F
Han
Bangwei
B
Luo
Rongchen
R
Shi
Changhao
C
Han
Zhonghao
Z
Zhang
Jian
J
Xiong
Man
M
Jiang
Zhiren
Z
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D009444:Neuritis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology
D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D003474:Curcumin
T lymphocytes; curcumin; experimental autoimmune neuritis; inflammation