Effect of -Hederin on IL-2 and IL-17 mRNA and miRNA-133a Levels in Lungs of Ovalbumin-Sensitized Male Rats

Abstract

alpha-hederin, a saponin that is a major constituent of English Ivy (Hedera helix) is effective in the treatment of asthma. In the present study, the effect of -hederin on lung tissue pathology and the levels of the inflammatory mediators; IL-2 mRNA, IL-17 mRNA, and MicroRNAs (miRNA)-133a was evaluated in a rat ovalbumin (OVA)-sensitized model of asthma. Rats were divided randomly into control (C), OVA-sensitized (S), OVA-sensitized pretreated with the antioxidant, thymoquinone (3 mg/kg, S+TQ) or OVA-sensitized pretreated with -hederin (0.02 mg/kg, S+AH) groups. Levels of IL-2 and IL-17 mRNA were higher in the OVA-sensitized group than controls while the level of miRNA-133a gene expression was lower. IL-2 mRNA and miRNA-133a gene expression in the S+TQ group was higher than in the control and OVA-sensitized groups while the level of IL-17 mRNA in the S+TQ group was lower than in the OVA-sensitized group. Pretreatment with -hederin decreased IL-17 mRNA levels and increased miRNA-133a gene expression compared with OVA-sensitized animals. All pathological changes in pretreated groups were lower than the OVA-sensitized group. These results showed a beneficial effect of -hederin in OVA-sensitized rats, suggesting that -hederin affects the IL-2 and IL-17 secretion pathways, altering miRNA-133a expression. Drug Dev Res 77:87-93, 2016. (c) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.