title: Apigenin, a Natural Flavonoid, Attenuates EAE Severity Through the Modulation of Dendritic Cell and Other Immune Cell Functions.
abstract: Apigenin, a natural flavonoid, found in several plants, fruits, vegetables, herbs, and spices, is known to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that are evident in the use of these substances for centuries as medicinal approaches to treat asthma, insomnia, Parkinson's disease, neuralgia, and shingles. However, there is a considerable dearth of information regarding its effect on immune cells, especially dendritic cells (DC) that maintain the critical balance between an immunogenic and tolerogenic immune response, in an immunospecialized location like the central nervous system (CNS). In this paper we looked at the anti-inflammatory properties of Apigenin in restoration of immune function and the resultant decrease in neuroinflammation. In vivo, a significant reduction in severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) progression and relapse was observed in C57BL/6 (progressive) and SJL/J (relapse-remitting) mouse models of multiple sclerosis upon treatment with Apigenin. Apigenin treated EAE mice show decreased expression of α4 integrin and CLEC12A on splenic DCs and an increased retention of immune cells in the periphery compared to untreated EAE mice. This correlated consequently with immunohistochemistry findings of decreased immune cell infiltration and reduced demyelination in the CNS. These results indicate a protective role of Apigenin against the neurodegenerative effects resulting from the entry of DC stimulated pathogenic T cells into the CNS thus implicating a potential therapy for neuroinflammatory disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
authors.forename: Rashida
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ginwala
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: McTish
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, University of Alabama School of Medicine, Birmingham, AB, USA.
authors.forename: Chander
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Raman
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Narendra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Mitzi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nagarkatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, USA.
authors.forename: Prakash
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Nagarkatti
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA.
authors.forename: Divya
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sagar
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA. pjain@drexelmed.edu.
authors.forename: Pooja
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jain
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Molecular Medicine and Infectious Disease, Drexel University College of Medicine, 2900 Queen Lane, Philadelphia, PA, 19129, USA. zkhan@drexelmed.edu.
authors.forename: Zafar K
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D047310:Apigenin
keywords: Apigenin; Dendritic cells; EAE; Flavonoid; Immune cells; Multiple sclerosis