Abstract
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a highly prevalent allergic disease induced by immunoglobulin (Ig) E-mediated hypersensitivity reaction at the nasal epithelium against inhaled allergens. Previous studies have demonstrated that Pentaherbs formula (PHF), a modified herbal formula comprising five herbal medicines (Flos Lonicerae, Herba Menthae, Cortex Phellodendri, Cortex Moutan and Rhizoma Atractylodis), could suppress various immune effector cells to exert anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic effects in allergic asthma and atopic dermatitis. The present study aimed to further determine the anti-inflammatory activities of PHF in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR BALB/c mouse model. Nasal symptoms such as sneezing and nose rubbing were recorded and the serum total IgE and OVA-specific IgG1, as well as interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, chemokines CXCL9 CXCL10, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α concentrations in nasal lavage fluid (NALF) were measured during different treatments. Effects of PHF on the expression of inflammatory mediators in the sinonasal mucosa were quantified using real-time QPCR. PHF was found to suppress allergic symptoms, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and hyperplasia of goblet cells in the nasal epithelium of the OVA-induced AR mice. PHF could reduce OVA-specific IgG1 level in serum, and TNF-α and IL-10 in nasal lavage fluid (NALF), significantly up-regulate the splenic regulatory T (Treg) cell level, increase the Type 1 helper T cell (Th1)/Type 2 helper T cell (Th2) ratio, and reduce the Th17 cells (all p < 0.05). PHF could also alleviate in situ inflammation in sinonasal mucosa of OVA-induced AR mice. In conclusion, oral treatment of PHF showed immuno-modulatory activities in the OVA-induced AR mice by regulating the splenic T cell population to suppress the nasal allergy symptoms and modulating inflammatory mediators, implicating that PHF could be a therapeutic strategy for allergic rhinitis.
Highlights
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common allergic disease in the nasal mucosa that is mediated by the specific immunoglobulin (Ig)-E with symptoms including rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sneezing and nose rubbing [1]
The imbalance between Th1 and Th2 cells has been recognized as a crucial pathological mechanism of AR [5,6,7], and the Th2 predominant immune response in the Type I hypersensitivity is the classical pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis
Pentaherbs formula (PHF) treatment groups showed a reduction in the Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS)-positive goblet cells (Figure 7F–J,Q) and mast cells (Figure 7K,O,R) in the nasal mucosa when compared with the OVA-induced AR group, while the OVA treatment could significantly induce the hyperplasia of goblet cells and infiltration of mast cells in the nasal mucosa compared with the healthy control group (p < 0.05). These results suggest that PHF can alleviate the infiltration of eosinophils and mast cells, and the hyperplasia of goblet cells in the sinonasal mucosa in the OVA-induced AR mice model
Summary
Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a common allergic disease in the nasal mucosa that is mediated by the specific immunoglobulin (Ig)-E with symptoms including rhinorrhea, nasal congestion, sneezing and nose rubbing [1]. These symptoms can reduce the quality of life of AR patients. The Th2-immunologic response is central to the IgE production for the recognition and interaction with allergens to cause eosinophilic infiltration in the nasal epithelium and the release of Th2 cytokines interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5 and IL-13, chemokines such as CCL5, and other allergic inflammatory mediators such as leukotrienes and prostaglandins [8]
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