title: Glycyrrhizin ameliorates experimental colitis through attenuating interleukin-17-producing T cell responses via regulating antigen-presenting cells.
abstract: Glycyrrhizin, a component of Chinese medicine licorice root, has the ability to inhibit the functions of high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1). While glycyrrhizin is known to have anti-inflammatory activities, the underlying mechanisms by which glycyrrhizin inhibits inflammation during the development of trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced experimental colitis are not well understood. This study systemically examined the regulatory effects of glycyrrhizin on inflammatory response in TNBS-induced murine colitis and explored the potential mechanisms involved in this process. We reported that glycyrrhizin treatment ameliorated colitis and decreased the production of inflammatory mediators HMGB1, IFN-γ, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17. In addition, glycyrrhizin regulated responses of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages during the development of colitis. Furthermore, administration of glycyrrhizin suppressed the proliferation of Th17 cells in colitis. Moreover, the ability of DCs and macrophages to induce the differentiation of Th17 cells was enhanced in presence of HMGB1, which was inhibited by glycyrrhizin. These results demonstrated that glycyrrhizin alleviated colitis by inhibiting the promotive effect of HMGB1 on DC/macrophage-mediated Th17 proliferation. In conclusion, HMGB1 plays an important role in the development of colitis. As an inhibitor of HMGB1, glycyrrhizin might be a novel therapy for colitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xiangyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Dai
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Lingyun
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Liyong
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Qirui
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Feili
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13# Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, People's Republic of China. minfang89@hust.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003092:Colitis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006035:Glycyrrhiza / Q000276:immunology; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024243:HMGB1 Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D024243:HMGB1 Protein; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D019695:Glycyrrhizic Acid; D014302:Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
keywords: Antigen-presenting cells; Colitis; Glycyrrhizin; HMGB1; Th17