title: Astragalus polysaccharide attenuates rat experimental colitis by inducing regulatory T cells in intestinal Peyer's patches.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore probable mechanism underlying the therapeutic effect of Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) against experimental colitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. Colitis was induced with 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS). The rats with colitis were treated with 400 mg/kg of APS for 7 d. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by colonic weight, weight index of the colon, colonic length, and macroscopic and histological scores. The levels of regulatory T (Treg) cells in Peyer's patches were measured by flow cytometry, and cytokines in colonic tissue homogenates were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of related orphan receptor-γt (ROR-γt), IL-23 and STAT-5a was measured by Western blot.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 7-d treatment with APS, the weight index of the colon, colonic weight, macroscopical and histological scores were decreased, while the colonic length was increased compared with the model group. The expression of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-6, IL-17, IL-23 and ROR-γt in the colonic tissues was down-regulated, but Treg cells in Peyer's patches, TGF-β and STAT5a in the colonic tissues were up-regulated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  APS effectively ameliorates TNBS-induced experimental colitis in rats, probably through restoring the number of Treg cells, and inhibiting IL-17 levels in Peyer's patches.
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Mei
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Min-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hai-Yang
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Bu-Gao
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Hong-Yan
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Qi-Meng
authors.initials: QM
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Hai-Mei Zhao, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nanchang 330004, Jiangxi Province, China.
authors.forename: Duan-Yong
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D027885:Astragalus propinquus / Q000737:chemistry; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D010581:Peyer's Patches / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D057132:Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3; D011134:Polysaccharides; C539902:Rorc protein, rat; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor; C494094:Stat5a protein, rat; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
keywords: Astragalus polysaccharide; Colitis; Interleukin-17; Regulatory T cells