Abstract
ABSTRACTAsthma is a chronic pulmonary disease that affects an estimated 235 million people worldwide, but asthma drugs have many adverse effects. Opuntia humifusa (eastern prickly pear) has been used as a food and traditional medicine worldwide; however, its anti-asthmatic effects have not been reported. We evaluated O. humifusa as a potential therapeutic or preventive component of anti-asthmatic drugs. We divided ovalbumin-sensitized mice into the following groups: normal control, asthma-induced control, dexamethasone-treated group (positive control), 50 mg/kg O. humifusa-treated group, 100 mg/kg O. humifusa-treated group, and 500 mg/kg O. humifusa-treated group. Levels of Th1/Th2/Th17-related cytokines were evaluated using RT-PCR, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry. O. humifusa dose-dependently suppressed the morphological changes typically observed in asthma, such as goblet cell hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, mucous hypersecretion, and relative basement membrane thickening in the respiratory system. These results may be attributable to regulation of Th1-/Th2-/Th17-related factors, especially interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. We conclude that O. humifusa is a potential anti-asthmatic functional food.Abbreviations: O. humifusa: Opuntia humifusa; Th: helper T; RT-PCR: real-time polymerase chain reaction; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; IL: interleukin; WHO: World Health Organization; IFN-γ: interferon gamma; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-alpha; IgE: immunoglobulin E; CD: cluster of differentiation; OVA: ovalbumin; DEX: dexamethasone; BALF: bronchoalveolar fluid; H&E: hematoxylin and eosin; PAS: periodic acid-schiff; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; BM: basement membrane; cDNA: complementary deoxyribonucleic acid; RNA: ribo nucleic acid; RIPA: radioimmunoprecipitation assay; IHC: immunohistochemistry; HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography; SD: standard deviation; WBC: white blood cells; APCs: antigen-presenting cells
Highlights
Asthma is a chronic disease related to the pulmonary system; the number of asthma patients worldwide was estimated at 235 million in 2013
Asthma is initially induced by antigen-presenting cells (APCs) that recognize a repeated allergen such as pollen, pet dander, dust mites, tobacco smoke, and environmental pollutants
Studies have attempted to elucidate the relationship between immunoglobulin E (IgE) and type 1 allergies, which are representative of asthma etiology [31,32]
Summary
Asthma is a chronic disease related to the pulmonary system; the number of asthma patients worldwide was estimated at 235 million in 2013. Asthma is an incurable chronic disease; its typical symptoms vary from cough to obstructive apnea caused by mucous hypersecretion, epithelial hyperplasia, basement membrane thickening, and inflammatory cell infiltration near bronchioles and vessels [2,3]. IL-4 modulates IgE levels, resulting in inflammatory cell migration to inter-respiratory cells [8], and IL-13 induces morphological changes in the pulmonary system typical of asthma, such as mucous hypersecretion, epithelial hyperplasia, base membrane thickening, inflammatory cell infiltration, and B cell activation [9,10,11,12]. TNF-α is produced by macrophages and is involved in the interaction between mast cells [13] and airway smooth muscle cells, a key mechanism for inducing airway hyperresponsiveness [14]. IL-6 is upregulated in pulmonary epithelial cells by various stimuli [15] and is involved in facilitating IL-4 differentiation, downregulating Th2 cell differentiation, and Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here
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