Ligustrazine corrects Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 imbalance in a mouse asthma model.
Asthma is an inflammatory disease closely associated with activated T cells in the lung. Imbalances in Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 have been found in asthmatic patients. Ligustrazine from the Chinese herb chuanxiong has been used in China in combination with glucocorticoids to treat asthma. Previous studies have proved that ligustrazine can modulate the expression of transcription factors for Th1 (T-bet) and Th2 (Gata-3) in asthma. In the present study, ligustrazine alleviated allergic airway inflammation in a mouse asthmatic model by reducing the influx of eosinophils and neutrophils, which was mediated, at least in part, by the regulation of Th1/Th2 and Treg/Th17 via the re-balance of cytokine profiles and of ratios of transcription factors, T-bet/Gata-3 and Foxp3/RORγt, thus providing new insights into the mechanisms of action for asthma treatment with ligustrazine.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China; Department of Geriatrics, Jiangsu Province Geriatric Hospital, Nanjing 210024, China.
Ning-fei
NF
Ji
Central Laboratory, Jiangsu Province Geriatric Hospital, Nanjing 210024, China.
Yu-chun
YC
Xie
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Ming-shun
MS
Zhang
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Xin
X
Zhao
Intensive Care Unit, Jiangsu Province Geriatric Hospital, Nanjing 210024, China.
Hui
H
Cheng
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Hong
H
Wang
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China.
Kai-sheng
KS
Yin
Department of Respiratory Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China. Electronic address: hm6114@126.com.
Mao
M
Huang
D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004804:Eosinophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance / Q000187:drug effects; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D016207:Cytokines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D011719:Pyrazines; D014157:Transcription Factors; D010047:Ovalbumin; C017953:tetramethylpyrazine
Asthma; Foxp3; Gata-3; Ligustrazine; RORγt; T-bet