Short-term administration of Qipian®, a mixed bacterial lysate, inhibits airway inflammation in ovalbumin-induced mouse asthma by modulating cellular, humoral and neurogenic immune responses

Huiying Wang; Fan Tao; Chang-Yun Li; Guan-Jun Yang; Jiong Chen

doi:10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122310

Short-term administration of Qipian®, a mixed bacterial lysate, inhibits airway inflammation in ovalbumin-induced mouse asthma by modulating cellular, humoral and neurogenic immune responses

Life Sci. 2024 Jan 1:336:122310. doi: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122310. Epub 2023 Nov 25.

Authors

Huiying Wang¹, Fan Tao², Chang-Yun Li³, Guan-Jun Yang⁴, Jiong Chen⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province 310009, China. Electronic address: marywang@zju.edu.cn.
² State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315211, China; Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Meishan Campus, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315832, China. Electronic address: 2111091161@nbu.edu.cn.
³ State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315211, China; Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Meishan Campus, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315832, China. Electronic address: 2211130023@nbu.edu.cn.
⁴ State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315211, China; Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Meishan Campus, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315832, China. Electronic address: yangguanjun@nbu.edu.cn.
⁵ State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315211, China; Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Marine Sciences, Meishan Campus, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province 315832, China. Electronic address: chenjiong@nbu.edu.cn.

PMID: 38013140
DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122310

Abstract

Aims: Qipian® is a commercialized agent composed of extracts of three genera of commensal bacteria, and its mechanism of action on asthma is unclear. This study aimed to examine the impact of Qipian® on airway inflammation and investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Materials and methods: Qipian® or dexamethasone (DEX) was administered before OVA challenge in an ovalbumin-induced asthma mouse model, and then asthmatic symptoms were observed and scored. Samples of lung tissues, blood, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected, and eosinophils (Eos), immunoglobins (Igs), and type 1 T helper (Th1)/Th2 cell cytokines were measured. Mucus production in the lung was assessed by periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. The effects of Qipian® on dendritic and T regulatory (Treg) cells were investigated using flow cytometry.

Key findings: The short-term administration of Qipian® significantly inhibited the cardinal features of allergic asthma, including an elevated asthmatic behaviour score, airway inflammation and immune response. Histological analysis of the lungs showed that Qipian® attenuated airway inflammatory cell infiltration and mucus hyperproduction. Qipian® restored Th1/Th2 imbalance by decreasing interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-13 while increasing interferon (IFN)-γ and IL-10. Further investigation revealed that Qipian® treatment induced the upregulation of CD4⁺CD25⁺Foxp3⁺ Treg cells and CD103⁺ DCs and downregulation of tachykinins neurokinin A (NKA) and NKB in the lung.

Significance: Our findings suggested that short-term treatment with Qipian® could alleviate inflammation in allergic asthma through restoring the Th1/Th2 balance by recruiting Treg cells to airways and inducing the proliferation of CD103⁺ DCs, which actually provides a new treatment option for asthma.

Keywords: Asthma; CD103(+) DCs; CD4(+)CD25(+)Foxp3(+) Treg cell; OVA; Qipian®.

MeSH terms

Animals
Asthma* / metabolism
Bacteria
Bacterial Lysates*
Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
Cytokines
Disease Models, Animal
Immunity
Inflammation / drug therapy
Inflammation / pathology
Lung / pathology
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Ovalbumin

Substances

Ovalbumin
Bacterial Lysates
Cytokines