title: Curcumin ameliorates experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis by diverse immune cells.
abstract: Curcumin is a traditional Asian medicine with diverse immunomodulatory properties used therapeutically in the treatment of many autoimmune diseases. However, the effects of curcumin on myasthenia gravis (MG) remain undefined. Here we investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of curcumin in experimental autoimmune myasthenia gravis (EAMG). Our results demonstrated that curcumin ameliorated the clinical scores of EAMG, suppressed the expression of T cell co-stimulatory molecules (CD80 and CD86) and MHC class II, down-regulated the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-17, IFN-γ and TNF-α) and up-regulated the levels of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10, shifted the balance from Th1/Th17 toward Th2/Treg, and increased the numbers of NKR-P1(+) cells (natural killer cell receptor protein 1 positive cells, including NK and NKT cells). Moreover, the administration of curcumin promoted the differentiation of B cells into a subset of B10 cells, increased the anti-R97-166 peptide IgG1 levels and decreased the relative affinity indexes of anti-R97-116 peptide IgG. In summary, curcumin effectively ameliorate EAMG, indicating that curcumin may be a potential candidate therapeutic agent for MG.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors.forename: Shan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors.forename: Heng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Central Laboratory, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors.forename: Long-Tao
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Yue
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors.forename: Cong-Cong
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Electromyography Department, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China.
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Shandong Provincial Qianfoshan Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan 250014, PR China. Electronic address: ruisheng_duan@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rui-Sheng
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Duan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018122:B7-1 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051940:B7-2 Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005802:Genes, MHC Class II; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020720:Myasthenia Gravis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D055611:Natural Killer T-Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew
chemical_list: D018122:B7-1 Antigen; D051940:B7-2 Antigen; C497966:Cd86 protein, rat; D016207:Cytokines; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: B10 cells; Curcumin; NKR-P1+ cells; T-cell subtype