Berberine induces anti-atopic dermatitis effects through the downregulation of cutaneous EIF3F and MALT1 in NC/Nga mice with atopy-like dermatitis

Biochem Pharmacol. 2021 Mar:185:114439. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114439. Epub 2021 Feb 1.

Abstract

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with severe pruritus. Berberine, a naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloid, has anti-inflammatory effects. This study investigated the effects and molecular mechanisms of berberine on AD-like symptoms in mice. In this study, NC/Nga mice with atopy-like dermatitis (dermatitis mice), fibroblast and mast cells were used. In dermatitis mice, intermittent oral administrations of berberine 3 times a week for 12 days inhibited skin symptom, itching, cutaneous infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells, and the expression of cutaneous eotaxin, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and IL-4. Berberine also attenuated IL-4/MIF-induced eotaxin in fibroblasts and allergen-induced MIF and IL-4 in mast cells. In mast cells, the GeneChip® microarray showed that antigen increased the expression of EIF3F and MALT1, inhibited by berberine. The siRNAs for them inhibited the expression of MIF and IL-4 in antigen-stimulated mast cells. These results suggest that berberine improves AD-like symptoms through the inhibition of the eotaxin and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression and the related inflammatory cell recruitment. It is also suggested that the downregulation of EIF3F and MALT1 by berberine is involved in suppressing the cytokine expression. Taken together, berberine or berberine-containing crude drugs are expected to contribute to the improvement of AD symptoms.

Keywords: Atopic dermatitis; Berberine; Itching; MIF; Microarray.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Berberine / pharmacology
  • Berberine / therapeutic use*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / drug therapy*
  • Dermatitis, Atopic / metabolism*
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation / physiology
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3 / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation 1 Protein / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation 1 Protein / metabolism*
  • Skin / drug effects
  • Skin / metabolism*

Substances

  • EIF3F protein, human
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-3
  • Berberine
  • Malt1 protein, mouse
  • Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation 1 Protein