Zinc supplement reduces allergic responses through modulating the p38 MAPK pathway activation in an allergic rhinitis mouse model

Qiangyou Shi; Xueliang Shen; Chao Long; Zhipeng Mi; Yongchun Li; Ruixia Ma

doi:10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.127094

Zinc supplement reduces allergic responses through modulating the p38 MAPK pathway activation in an allergic rhinitis mouse model

J Trace Elem Med Biol. 2023 Jan:75:127094. doi: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.127094. Epub 2022 Oct 13.

Authors

Qiangyou Shi¹, Xueliang Shen², Chao Long³, Zhipeng Mi³, Yongchun Li², Ruixia Ma⁴

Affiliations

¹ Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Gansu Maternal and child Health Care Hospital, Gansu, China.
² Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan First People's Hospital, Ningxia, China.
³ Ningxia Medical University, Ningxia, China.
⁴ Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Second Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical University Yinchuan First People's Hospital, Ningxia, China. Electronic address: maruixia4368@sina.com.

PMID: 36265320
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtemb.2022.127094

Abstract

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the nasal mucosa mediated by a variety of inflammatory mediators. Zinc (Zn) is one of the main essential trace elements in the human body and plays a variety of biological functions including the inhibition of inflammatory responses. This study aimed to investigate the effects and mechanism of Zn on the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR mouse model.

Method: In this study, we established a model of AR by treating mice with OVA after feeding them with different doses of Zn. ELISA, real-time quantitative PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the protein expression and mRNA transcription level of IgE, inflammatory cytokines and p38, respectively.

Results: The authors identified that immunoglobulin E concentrations were significantly higher in the Zn-deficient mice than in the Zn-normal group; Zn supplementation significantly reversed the increase in IgE concentrations caused by Zn deficiency. The increased concentrations of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in serum caused by Zn deficiency were reduced by Zn supplementation. The study further found that Zn deficiency could significantly increase the expression and activity of the p38 MAPK protein, while its levels were significantly decreased after Zn supplementation. The role of Zn supplement in the inflammatory response induced by Zn deficiency was verified by Zn-deficient mice with a p38 pathway inhibitor (SB203580), and it was observed that the elevated concentrations of IgE and inflammatory cytokines induced by Zn deficiency could be significantly reversed.

Conclusion: Our data indicated that Zn exerted anti-allergic and anti-inflammatory effects by regulating the p38 MAPK activation in the AR mouse model. The findings provided evidence that Zn might be beneficial in regulating AR.

Keywords: Allergic rhinitis; IgE; Inflammatory cytokines; P38 MAPK pathway; Zinc.

MeSH terms

Animals
Mice
Rhinitis, Allergic* / drug therapy
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Zinc* / pharmacology
p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases*

Substances

p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Zinc