RESUMO
OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN: To clarify the effects of dietary supplementation of protocatechuic acid (PCA) and in-depth mechanisms on allergic asthma in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mice. MATERIALS: Female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups (n = 10 in each group): control group, OVA-induced allergic asthma group, and OVA plus PCA group. TREATMENT: Dietary supplementation of PCA was achieved by adding 50 mg/kg PCA to AIN 93G diet for 25 days. METHODS: Peripheral blood cells, pulmonary inflammatory cell infiltration, the levels of IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), the mRNA levels of Th2-related genes in the lungs, and the protein expressions of the IL-4Rα-STAT6 and the Jagged1/Jagged2-Notch1/Notch2 signaling pathways were measured. RESULTS: Significantly reduced inflammatory cells infiltration and mucosal hypersecretion in the lung tissues, repaired levels of interleukin IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in the BALF, and decreased mRNA expression of IL-4, IL-5, and GATA3 were observed in OVA plus PCA group. Moreover, PCA treatment down-regulated the protein levels of IL-4Rα-STAT6 and Jagged1/Jagged2-Notch1/Notch2 signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary supplement of PCA alleviated allergic asthma partly through suppressing the IL-4Rα-STAT6 and Jagged1/Jagged2-Notch1/Notch2 signaling pathways in mice. Our study provided the theoretic basis of PCA used as functional food in preventing allergic asthma.
Assuntos
Asma/dietoterapia , Suplementos Nutricionais , Hidroxibenzoatos/uso terapêutico , Alérgenos , Animais , Asma/genética , Asma/imunologia , Asma/patologia , Líquido da Lavagem Broncoalveolar/imunologia , Citocinas/genética , Citocinas/imunologia , Feminino , Alimento Funcional , Proteína Jagged-1/imunologia , Proteína Jagged-2/imunologia , Contagem de Leucócitos , Pulmão/imunologia , Pulmão/patologia , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Ovalbumina , Receptor Notch1/imunologia , Receptor Notch2/imunologia , Receptores de Superfície Celular/imunologia , Fator de Transcrição STAT6/imunologia , Transdução de SinaisRESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immunomodulatory mechanism by which Yangfei Huoxue decoction (YHD) alleviates bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) in rats. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into two time-point groups (day 14 and 28), and each time-point group comprised the following six subgroups: control, BLM, dexamethasone (DXM), YHD high dose (YHD-H), YHD middle dose (YHD-M), and YHD low dose (YHD-L). Haematoxylin and eosin and Masson staining, flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting and UPLC-QT of analyses were examined. RESULTS: The results showed that YHD reduced the degree of alveolar inflammation and fibrosis; downregulated the expression of CD28, CD80, CD86, Delta-like 1, Notch2, and Notch3; and upregulated the proportions of Th1/Th2 and Tc1/Tc2. The seven components of YHD were detected. CONCLUSION: The current study indicates that YHD mainly functions by regulating the immune system and that the molecular mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Notch signaling pathway.