以小鼠動物模式探討大黃素透過減低Th2相關細胞激素分泌達到治療屋塵蟎誘導的過敏性鼻炎

Emodin Ameliorates HDM-Induced Allergic Rhinitis in Mice by Decreasing Th2-Related Cytokine Expression

背景與目的：屋塵蟎是台灣過敏患者最常見的空氣過敏原。由屋塵蟎引起的過敏性鼻炎的發生率約為10–20%。過敏性鼻炎的症狀主要是鼻炎、流鼻涕、鼻塞而症狀嚴重的患者則是有鼻息肉產生的情況。大黃素是大黃、虎杖、何首烏等許多中藥材中的有效活性成分。然而，大黃素對屋塵蟎引起的過敏性鼻炎的影響仍然不清楚。
材料與方法：本研究使用屋塵蟎誘導的過敏性鼻炎小鼠模型。蘇木精伊紅染色用來偵測鼻黏膜免疫細胞浸潤，酵素結合免疫吸附分析法用來測定白細胞介素-4、白細胞介素-5和屋塵蟎特異性免疫球蛋白E濃度。
結果：大黃素治療組鼻腔中的免疫細胞浸潤減少，每隻小鼠採集的脾臟細胞中經由屋塵蟎過敏原刺激後，白細胞介素-4、白細胞介素-5表現也降低。與對照組相比，大黃素治療組血清中的白細胞介素-5濃度會降低。
結論：本研究表明，大黃素可改善屋塵蟎誘發的過敏性鼻炎，是一種很有潛力化合物可應用於治療過敏性疾病。

Background and purpose: House dust mites (HDMs) are the most common indoor aeroallergens of patients with allergies in Taiwan. The global prevalence of allergic rhinitis induced by HDMs is approximately 10–20%. The symptoms of allergic rhinitis are mainly nasal inflammation, runny nose, and nasal congestion; nasal polyps can develop in severe cases. Emodin is an effective active compound in many traditional Chinese herbal medicines such as Rheum palmatum, Polygonum cuspidatum, and Polygonum multiflorum. However, the effects of emodin on HDM-induced allergic rhinitis remain unknown.
Methods: A HDM-induced allergic rhinitis murine model was used in this study. Immune cells which infiltrated into the nasal mucosa were detected by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and HDM-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
Results: Immune cell infiltration was decreased in the emodin treatment group, and IL-4 and IL-5 expression also decreased in splenocytes harvested from each mouse. IL-5 concentration in the serum was further downregulated in the emodin treatment group compared to the vehicle in the control treatment group.
Conclusion: The present study showed that emodin ameliorated HDM-induced allergic rhinitis and it is a promising compound for treating allergic diseases.