Curcumin attenuates allergic airway inflammation by regulation of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs)/Th17 balance in ovalbumin-sensitized mice

Abstract

The present study aimed to determine the protective effects and the underlying mechanisms of curcumin on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic inflammation in a mouse model of allergic asthma. Asthma mice model was established by ovalbumin. A total of 60 mice were randomly assigned to six experimental groups: control, model, dexamethasone (2 mg/kg), and curcumin (50 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg, 200 mg/kg). Airway resistance (Raw) was measured by the forced oscillation technique, differential cell count in BAL fluid (BALF) was measured by Wright-Giemsa staining, histological assessment was measured by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, BALF levels of Treg/Th17 cytokines were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Treg cells and Th17 cells were evaluated by flow cytometry (FCM). Our study demonstrated that curcumin inhibited OVA-induced increases in eosinophil count; interleukin (IL)-17A level were recovered in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid increased IL-10 level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Histological studies demonstrated that curcumin substantially inhibited OVA-induced eosinophilia in lung tissue. Flow cytometry (FCM) studies demonstrated that curcumin remarkably inhibited Th17 cells and significantly increased Treg cells. The results in vivo show ovalbumin-induced significantly broke Treg/Th17 balance; curcumin treatments markedly attenuated the inflammatory in asthma model by regulating Treg/Th17 balance. Our findings support the possible use of curcumin as a therapeutic drug for patients with allergic asthma.