ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the role of Foxp3+ T cells (Tregs) in liver injury induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia. Methods Thirty-two male Wister rats were divided into four groups:control group (A), high-fat diet group (B), intermittent hypoxia group (C), and high-fat diet and intermittent hypoxia group (D). After 4 weeks, blood samples were collected and livers were surgically removed. Using the standard automatic clinical analyzer to test serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL- C), alanina aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartato aminotransferase (AST). The MDA content of liver tissue was measured by colorimetrc method. The levels of TNF-αand IL-1βwere measured by radiommunoassay, and the expression of Foxp3 protein was measured by Western blotting technique. Results Serum levels of TC and LDL-C were significantly higher in B group than those of A, C and D groups, and which were higher in D group than those of A and C groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in serum levels of TC and LDL-C between A group and C group. Serum levels of ALT, AST, MDA, TNF-αand IL-1βwere significantly higher in C group than those of A group, and which were significantly higher in D group than those of A, B and C groups (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in these indicators between A group and B group, and between B group and C group. Foxp3 protein expression in liver was significantly lower in D group than that of other groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Foxp3+T regulatory cells involve in the regulation of hepatic injury induced by chronic intermittent hypoxia on the basis of a high-fat diet, and which may play an important role in this process of protective immune response.
ABSTRACT
The intestinal immune system maintains oral tolerance to harmless antigens or nutrients. One mechanism of oral tolerance is mediated by regulatory T cell (Treg)s, of which differentiation is regulated by a subset of dendritic cell (DC)s, primarily CD103+ DCs. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor, plays an important role in regulating immunity. The intestines are exposed to various AhR ligands, including endogenous metabolites and phytochemicals. It was previously reported that AhR activation induced tolerogenic DCs in mice or in cultures of bone marrow-derived DCs. However, given the variety of tolerogenic DCs, which type of tolerogenic DCs is regulated by AhR remains unknown. In this study, we found that AhR ligand 3,3'-diindolylmethane (DIM) inhibited the development of CD103+ DCs from mouse bone marrow cells stimulated with Flt3L and GM-CSF. DIM interfered with phosphorylation of STAT3 and STAT5 inhibiting the expression of genes, including Id2, E2-2, IDO-1, and Aldh1a2, which are associated with DC differentiation and functions. Finally, DIM suppressed the ability of CD103+ DCs to induce Foxp3+ Tregs.