title: Apigenin Attenuates Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis by Modulating Th1/Th2 Cytokine Balance in Mice.
abstract: This study aims to investigate the protective effect of apigenin on the development of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) and the underlying mechanisms. An EAM model was induced in BALB/c mice by the injection of porcine cardiac myosin. Apigenin was orally administered from day 1 to 21. The severity of myocarditis was assessed by determination of heart weight/body weight ratio (HW/BW) and histopathological evaluation. Echocardiography was conducted to evaluate the cardiac function and heart structure. Antigen-specific T cell proliferation responses to cardiac myosin were evaluated by the lymphocyte proliferation assay. ELISA was used to determine serum levels of type 1 helper (Th1) and Th2 cytokines. Apigenin treatment significantly decreased HW/BW. Histopathologic analysis showed that the infiltration of inflammatory cells was reduced significantly by apigenin treatment. Meanwhile, apigenin administration effectively ameliorated autoimmune myocarditis-induced cardiac hypertrophy and cardiac dysfunction as well as inhibited lymphocyte proliferation in mice immunized with myosin. Furthermore, Th1 cytokines tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and interleukin-2 (IL-2) were significantly downregulated, while Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 were markedly upregulated. The results indicated that apigenin can alleviate EAM due to its immunomodulatory reactions in modification of helper T cell balance.
authors.affiliation: Biochip Laboratory, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, Yantai, 264000, China.
authors.forename: Shouxin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Centre, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, Yantai, 264000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoyan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Biochip Laboratory, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, Yantai, 264000, China.
authors.forename: Chengming
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, 20 Yuhuangding Road East, Yantai, 264000, China. yangjun151021@163.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, Yantai, 264000, China.
authors.forename: Lihong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Biochip Laboratory, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, Yantai, 264000, China.
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Biochip Laboratory, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, Yantai, 264000, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Disease, Yuhuangding Hospital of Yantai, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao Medical University, 20 Yuhuangding Road East, Yantai, 264000, China.
authors.forename: Yanyan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jing
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D047310:Apigenin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D024722:Cardiac Myosins; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000188:drug therapy*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D004452:Echocardiography; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015847:Interleukin-4 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009205:Myocarditis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018417:Th1 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D058408:Th1-Th2 Balance / Q000187:drug effects*; D018418:Th2 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; C556062:IL10 protein, mouse; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016753:Interleukin-10; D015847:Interleukin-4; D047310:Apigenin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D024722:Cardiac Myosins
keywords: Th1/Th2 cytokine balance; apigenin; experimental autoimmune myocarditis; inflammation; myosin