Effect Of Ligustrazine On Airway Inflammation And Airway Remodeling In Asthmatic Rats

Objective: To investigate the expressional levels of GATA-3 and IL-5(IL-5) and their expression relation with airway inflammation and airway remodeling of lung tissues in asthmatic rats. To explore the molecular mechanism of inhibitory effect of ligustrazine on allergic airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthmatic rats throug effecting GATA-3 and IL-5.Method: The rats were sensitized and challenged by ovalbumin to establish the asthmatic model. 32 healthy Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups.Which were consisted of normal control group(n=8)challenge with normal saline;asthmatic model group(n=8)with ovalbumin conjuncted with A1(OH)3 ; ligustrazine intervention group(n=8)treating with the intraperitoneal injection ligustrazine before activating; dexamethasone(DXM)group(n=8)treating with the intraperitoneal injection dexamethasone before activating. By HE stain, pathologic changes of lung tissue were observed , as well as the count of eosinophil(Eos) and the thickness of airway smooth muscle in lung tissue were measured. The expressions of GATA-3 and IL-5 in lung tissue were measured by Two-Step immunohistochemistry assay and the correlation between GATA-3,IL-5 and airway inflammation were analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS12.0 software.Results: (1) Pathologic changes of lung tissue:It was found that mang inflammatory cell infiltrated airway submucosal and airway wall,such as Eos and lymphocytes, and airway wall thickened, smooth muscle hypertrophied in asthmatic rats. (2) The count of Eos in lung tissue: Both asthmatic model group and every therapeutic group were higher than the normal control group(P < 0.05);the ligustrazine group and DXM group were lower than the asthmaatic model group(P < 0.05);and the DXM group were lower than that in the liguatrazine group(P < 0.05).(3) the tickness of airway smooth muscle in lung tissue:Both the asthmatic model group and every intervention group were higher than the normal control group(P < 0.05); the ligustrazine group and DXM group were lower than the asthmatic group(P < 0.05). (4) The expression of GATA-3 in lung tissue:Both the asthmatic model group and every intervention group were higher than the normal control group(P < 0.05);the ligustrazine group and DXM group were lower than those in the asthmatic group(P < 0.05). (5) The expression of IL-5 in lung tissue:Both the asthmatic model group and every intervention group were higher than the normal control group(P < 0.05);the ligustrazine group and DXM group were lower than those in the asthmatic group(P < 0.05). (6) There were significant positive correlations between the expression of GATA-3 and the expression of IL-5( r=0.979,P <0.01);as well as the positive correlations between IL-5 levels and the count of Eos(r=0.971,P <0.01),between IL-5 levels and the thickness of airway smooth muscle(r=0.908,P < 0.01).Conclusion: The high expression of GATA-3and IL-5 play important role in developing airway inflammation and airway remodeling.Inhibit their high expression is a effect method of theraping asthma. Ligustrazine could inhibit airway inflammation and airway remodeling of asthma by downergulating the expression of GATA-3 and IL-5.