Abstract
Forsythia suspensa (F. suspensa) is a traditional medicine for treatment of inflammation. In this study, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of an ethanol extract from F. suspensa fruits on atopic dermatitis both in vivo and in vitro. We investigated the inhibitory effects of F. suspensa extract on the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in an NC/Nga mouse model exposed to Dermatophagoides farinae crude extract. Topical application of F. suspensa extract to the mice attenuated the atopic dermatitis symptoms, including increased dermatitis severity score, ear thickness, infiltration of inflammatory cells in the skin lesions, serum levels of IgE, TNF-α, and histamine, and expression of chemokines, cytokines, and adhesion molecules in ear tissue. In addition, F. suspensa extract inhibited the production of chemokines in TNF-α/IFN-γ-activated human keratinocytes. High-performance liquid chromatography analysis of FSE revealed the presence of four chemical constituents (forsythiaside, phillyrin, pinoresinol, and phylligenin). These compounds inhibited the production of chemokines in TNF-α/IFN-γ-activated human keratinocytes. These results suggest that the F. suspensa might be a useful candidate for treating allergic skin inflammatory disorders.
Highlights
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder
We evaluated the inhibitory activities of (FSE) on allergic inflammation using an NC/Nga mouse AD model exposed to house dust mites and a human keratinocytes (HaCaT) cell model
We investigated whether F. suspensa extract (FSE) prevents AD-like skin lesions in a mouse model
Summary
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder. It is characterized by increased serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels, intense pruritus, and cutaneous hypersensitivity to environmental triggers [1]. Thelper (Th) 2 lymphocytes, which produce interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13, play major roles in the pathogenesis of AD in the early stage [3]. Th1 lymphocytes, which mainly produce proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), contribute to pathogenesis of AD during the chronic stage [4]. Keratinocytes exhibit an exaggerated production of chemokines and cytokines and participate in PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0167687. Keratinocytes exhibit an exaggerated production of chemokines and cytokines and participate in PLOS ONE | DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0167687 December 9, 2016
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