ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of bitter taste receptor (TAS2Rs) in the treatment of chronic airway inflammation by bitter Chinese medicine.Methods: The experiment was divided into three groups (n=8),namely blank control group,PM2.5 group (the rat models of chronic airway inflammation were established by aerosolized PM2.5 suspension) and PM2.5+limonin group (intervening with the extract from Tangerine peel).The expression of mRNA and protein of inflammatory cytokines and TAS2Rs in bronchial/pulmonary tissue were detected by ELISA,RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.Results: The mRNA and protein expression levels of TNF-α and IL-13 in PM2.5 stimulated group were significantly higher than those in control group,while the TAS2R14 were not significantly changed.The mRNA and protein expression levels of TNF-α and IL-13 in the limonin intervention group was lower than that in the PM2.5 group,and the TAS2R14 were significantly increased.Conclusion: The production and release of inflammatory cytokines in the chronic inflammatory airway can be curbed by inhaling the components of bitter Chinese herbal medicine.And then,the TAS2Rs in the lungs can be activated by the bitter components to increase its expression.Therefore,it is considered that bitter Chinese herbal medicine to play the airway anti-inflammatory effect is achieved through the activation of the airway TAS2Rs.