Yiqi Jiedu Xiaoying Decoction Improves Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis in Rats by Regulating Th17/Treg Cell Balance

Hui Zhu; Shumin Mu; Shiyin Liu; Yang Cui; Jianyu Ren; Enquan Yang; Lining Wang; Xiaoke Cui; Ailing Ren

doi:10.2174/0118715303256311231122094516

Yiqi Jiedu Xiaoying Decoction Improves Experimental Autoimmune Thyroiditis in Rats by Regulating Th17/Treg Cell Balance

Endocr Metab Immune Disord Drug Targets. 2024 Jan 4. doi: 10.2174/0118715303256311231122094516. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Hui Zhu¹, Shumin Mu², Shiyin Liu¹, Yang Cui³, Jianyu Ren⁴, Enquan Yang⁵, Lining Wang¹, Xiaoke Cui⁶, Ailing Ren⁷

Affiliations

¹ Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 2500355, China.
² Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250011, China.
³ Yantai Penglai People's Hospital, Yantai 265600, China.
⁴ People's Hospital of Dongying, Dongying 257091, China.
⁵ Tangshan Nanhu Hospital, Tangshan 063000, China.
⁶ Xuchang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xuchang 461000, China.
⁷ Dongying New District Hospital, Dongying 257029, China.

PMID: 38317460
DOI: 10.2174/0118715303256311231122094516

Abstract

Background: Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) is a widely used animal model to study the pathogenesis and treatment of autoimmune thyroid diseases. Yiqi Jiedu Xiaoying Decoction (YJXD) is a traditional Chinese medicine formula with potential immunomodulatory effects. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of YJXD on EAT in rats and explored its underlying mechanisms.

Methods: Female Wistar rats were induced to develop EAT by immunization with thyroglobulin (Tg) and taken sodium iodide water (0.05%) and then treated with YJXD or sodium selenite. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of thyroid tissue in EAT rats. Th17 and Treg cell frequencies were analyzed by flow cytometry, and the expression levels of Th17- and Treg-related cytokines and thyroid autoantibody were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of Th17- and Treg-related transcriptional factors was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC).

Results: Our results demonstrated that treatment with YJXD significantly attenuated the severity of EAT, as evidenced by reduced thyroid gland inflammatory infiltration and decreased serum thyroglobulin autoantibody levels. Importantly, YJXD treatment effectively modulated the Th17/Treg cell balance by suppressing Th17 cell differentiation and promoting Treg cell expansion. Moreover, YJXD was also found to regulate the expression levels of Th17- and Tregrelated cytokines and transcriptional factors, further supporting its immunomodulatory effects in EAT.

Conclusion: YJXD exerted therapeutic effects on EAT by regulating the Th17/Treg cell balance, modulating the production of Th17- and Treg-related cytokines and the expression of transcriptional factors.

Keywords: T helper cell 17(Th17)/regulation T cell (Treg) immune imbalance; Yiqi Jiedu Xiaoying Decoction; autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT); experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT); transcriptional factor..