Effect Of Inhaled Icaritin On Airway Inflammation And Airway Remodeling In Asthmatic Mice

Objective: To explore the effect of inhaled Icaritin(ICT)on airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthmatic mice.Methods: 96 8-week-old C57BL/J6 female mice were randomly divided into 8 groups each with 12 animals.The groups were named as follows: Blank control group;Solvent control group;Saline control group;OVA group;ICT 10 mg group;ICT 20 mg group;Budesonide 2 mg group and ICT 20 mg +Budesonide 1mg group.Ovalbumin was used to induce and challenge for 4weeks and 10 weeks,and the acute airway inflammation model and chronic airway remodeling model of asthma mice were established respectively.The acute airway inflammation model mice were nebulized with ICT for 2 weeks,and then sacrificed.ELISA assay was performed to detect the expression level of IL-33;q PCR was performed to detect the expression levels of IL-4,IL-5,and IL-13;H&E staining was used to evaluate inflammation infiltration and pathological changes of lung tissue;AB-PAS staining was performed to evaluate goblet cells hyperplasia.The chronic airway remodeling model mice were nebulized with ICT for 8 weeks,and then the specific airway resistance was detected by inhalation of histamine phosphate within 24 hours after the last challenge.Masson staining was used to observe collagen deposition;and immunofluorescence staining was used to observe airway smooth muscle cell hyperplasia.Results: Inhalation of Icaritin could effectively attenuate infiltration of inflammatory cells around the trachea and peritracheal vessels of asthmatic mice,and suppress goblet cell hyperplasia,decreased the expressions of inflammatory mediator IL-4,IL-5,IL-13 and IL-33.Long-term inhalation of Icaritin could reduce airway collagen fiber deposition and airway smooth muscle hyperplasia.The effect of combined administration with Budesonide was better than that of the single administration..Conclusions: Aerosol inhalation Icaritin could effectively reduce airway inflammation,and airway goblet cells hyperplasia,as well as attenuate airway remodeling in asthmatic mice.Co-administration of ICT and budesonide could reduce the effective dose of budesonide in asthmatic mice.