ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the protective effect of Zengye Decoction (, ZYD) on the submandibular glands (SMGs) in nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice.@*METHODS@#Twenty-seven female NOD mice were randomly equally divided into 3 groups: the model group, the hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) group, and the ZYD group. Nine C57/B6 mice served as the normal group. After 1-week acclimation, the HCQ and ZYD groups were intragastrically administered with HCQ and ZYD, respectively, and the normal and model groups were administered with normal saline. Changes in the salivary flow rate were observed. Mice from all 4 groups were sacrificed at the age of 20 weeks. The serum and SMGs were collected. Serum cytokines gamma-interferon (IFN-γ), interleukin-10 (IL-10) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Histological changes in the submandibular glands were examined by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The mRNA expression of IFN-γ, IL-10 and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in the submandibular glands were measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction.@*RESULTS@#Compared with the model group, the salivary flow of the ZYD group significantly increased (P<0.05), the extent of the histological changes was ameliorated (P<0.05), and the Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance was remedied (P<0.05). In the ZYD-treated mice, the VIP mRNA was up-regulated (P<0.05).@*CONCLUSIONS@#ZYD is beneficial in protecting structure and function of SMGs in NOD mice. The mechanism may be associated with the correction of the Th1/Th2 cytokine imbalance, and with the prevention of a progressive decline of the VIP level.
Subject(s)
Animals , Female , Mice , Cytokines , Blood , Drugs, Chinese Herbal , Pharmacology , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Mice, Inbred NOD , Salivation , Sjogren's Syndrome , Drug Therapy , Allergy and Immunology , Submandibular Gland , Pathology , Th1 Cells , Allergy and Immunology , Th2 Cells , Allergy and Immunology , Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide , GeneticsABSTRACT
Sjögren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease with unclear etiology. From the point of etiology, Chinese medicine (CM) theory holds that pathological products like dry toxin, blood stasis are produced in the pathological process. They are both pathologic results and pathogenic factors for its further development. So pathological products are also named as second pathogenic factors. In this article, the concept of second pathogenic factors was sorted and defined. Main second pathogenic factors of Sjögren's syndrome were pinpointed, and their modern medical bases were analyzed. Authors came to a conclusion that clearing away second pathogenic factors is a key point in treating Sjögren's syndrome.