title: Low and high doses of ursolic acid ameliorate experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis through different pathways.
abstract: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disease characterized by fatigable muscle weakness. Ursolic acid (UA) is a pentacyclic triterpenoid with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties, especially inhibiting IL-17. We found that UA ameliorated the symptoms of experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG), a rat model of MG. Although both the low and high doses of UA shifted Th17 to Th2 cytokines, other mechanisms were dose dependent. The low dose enhanced Fas-mediated apoptosis, whereas the high dose up-regulated Treg cells and reduced the concentrations of IgG2b antibodies. These findings suggest a new strategy to treat EAMG and even human MG.
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China; Department of Neurology, Taian City Central Hospital, Taian 271000, PR China.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Xu
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors: Xiao-Li
authors: XL
authors: Li
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors: Heng
authors: H
authors: Li
authors: Central Laboratory, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors: Long-Tao
authors: LT
authors: Yue
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors: Xin-Xin
authors: XX
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors: Cong-Cong
authors: CC
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors: Shan
authors: S
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China. Electronic address: ruisheng_duan@yahoo.com.
authors: Rui-Sheng
authors: RS
authors: Duan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
chemical_list: D014315:Triterpenes; D000097245:Ursolic Acid
keywords: Apoptosis; Experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis; Fas; IL-17; Ursolic acid