Bacillus subtilis KCTC 11782BP-produced alginate oligosaccharide effectively suppresses asthma via T-helper cell type 2-related cytokines

The great potential of polysaccharides from natural resources in the treatment of asthma: A review

Despite significant progress in diagnosis and treatment, asthma remains a serious public health challenge. The conventional therapeutic drugs for asthma often have side effects and unsatisfactory clinical efficacy. Therefore, it is very urgent to develop new drugs to overcome the shortcomings of conventional drugs. Natural polysaccharides provide enormous resources for the development of drugs or health products, and they are receiving a lot of attention from scientists around the world due to their safety, effective anti-inflammatory and immune regulatory properties. Increasing evidence shows that polysaccharides have favorable biological activities in the respiratory disease, including asthma. This review provides an overview of primary literature on the recent advances of polysaccharides from natural resources in the treatment of asthma. The mechanisms and practicability of polysaccharides, including polysaccharides from plants, fungus, bacteria, alga, animals and others are reviewed. Finally, the further research of polysaccharides in the treatment of asthma are discussed. This review can provide a basis for further study of polysaccharides in the treatment of asthma and provides guidance for the development and clinical application of novel asthma treatment drugs.

Process and applications of alginate oligosaccharides with emphasis on health beneficial perspectives

Alginates are linear polymers comprising 40% of the dry weight of algae possess various applications in food and biomedical industries. Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), a degradation product of alginate, is now gaining much attention for their beneficial role in food, pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Hence this review was aimed to compile the information on alginate and AOS (prepared from seaweeds) during 1994-2020. As per our knowledge, this is the first review on the potential use of alginate oligosaccharides in different fields. The alginate derivatives are grouped according to their applications. They are involved in the isolation process and show antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antihypertension, anticancer, and immunostimulatory properties. AOS also have significant applications in prebiotics, nutritional supplements, plant growth development and others products.

Codonopsis laceolata Water Extract Ameliorates Asthma Severity by Inducing Th2 Cells’ and Pulmonary Epithelial Cells’ Apoptosis via NF-κB/COX-2 Pathway

Asthma is an incurable pulmonary disease with several symptoms, including abnormal breathing, coughing, and sleep apnea, which can lead to death, and the population of asthma patients has been increasing worldwide. There are many adverse effects in current drugs, and thus, we have tried to develop anti-asthmatic agents from natural products such as Codonopsis laceolata. To define the anti-asthmatic effect and the mechanism of Codonopsis laceolata, an animal study was conducted considering different cell counts of BALF, serum IgE levels, morphological changes in the pulmonary system, the Th2 cell transcription factor (GATA-3), and the apoptotic pathway (NF-κB/COX-2). Codonopsis laceolata significantly suppressed the representative asthmatic changes, such as airway remodeling, mucous hypersecretion, epithelial hyperplasia, and inflammatory cell infiltration, in the respiratory system. It suppressed the levels of GATA-3, IL-4, and IL-13. The down-regulation of Th2-related factors, such as GATA-3, IL-4, and IL-13, results from the stimulated apoptosis of Th2 cells and epithelial cells via a decrease in the levels of NF-κB and COX-2. We concluded that Codonopsis laceolata might be a promising anti-asthmatic drug.

An exopolysaccharide from Bacillus subtilis alleviates airway inflammatory responses via the NF-κB and STAT6 pathways in asthmatic mice

Bacillus subtilis is an intestinal probiotic for immune homeostasis and its exopolysaccharide (EPS) is known to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The underlying mechanisms are not yet fully understood. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the EPS (50, 100, 200 mg/kg) on airway inflammation in asthmatic mice. Our results showed that EPS treatment of asthmatic mice significantly alleviated pathological damage in the lungs, remarkably decreased the counts of total inflammatory cells including lymphocytes, and eosinophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and reduced indexes of oxidative damage. Moreover, the expression of type II T-helper cell (Th2) cytokines (interleukin- (IL)4 and -5) subsequent to EPS treatment was found to be dramatically down-regulated in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, the EPS treatment reduced JAK1, STAT6 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) expression in the lungs of asthmatic mice. Taken together, these results suggest that the EPS from B. subtilis alleviates asthmatic airway inflammation, which involves the reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the down-regulation of the STAT6 and NF-κB inflammatory pathways, which can further reduce Th2 cytokine expression and eosinophilic inflammation. Thus, our findings provide a potential mechanism through which the EPS mitigates asthma, suggesting that the EPS could be a potential source of an anti-asthmatic drug.

Marine microbial enzymes for the production of algal oligosaccharides and its bioactive potential for application as nutritional supplements

Marine macroalgae have a very high carbohydrate content due to complex algal polysaccharides (APS) like agar, alginate, and ulvan in their cell wall. Despite numerous reports on their biomedical properties, their hydrocolloid nature limits their applications. Algal oligosaccharides (AOS), which are hydrolyzed forms of complex APS, are gaining importance due to their low molecular weight, biocompatibility, bioactivities, safety, and solubility in water that makes it a lucrative alternative. The AOS produced through enzymatic hydrolysis using microbial enzymes have far-reaching applications because of its stereospecific nature. Identification and characterization of novel microorganisms producing APS hydrolyzing enzymes are the major bottlenecks for the efficient production of AOS. This review will discuss the marine microbial enzymes identified for AOS production and the bioactive potential of enzymatically produced AOS. This can improve our understanding of the biotechnological potential of microbial enzymes for the production of AOS and facilitate the sustainable utilization of algal biomass. Enzymatically produced AOS are shown to have bioactivities such as antioxidant, antiglycemic, prebiotic, immunomodulation, antiobesity or antihypercholesterolemia, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and antimicrobial activity. The myriad of health benefits provided by the AOS is the need of the hour as there is an alarming increase in physiological disorders among a wide range of the global population.

Dietary Fibers: Effects, Underlying Mechanisms and Possible Role in Allergic Asthma Management

The prevalence of asthma is increasing, but the cause remains under debate. Research currently focuses on environmental and dietary factors that may impact the gut-lung axis. Dietary fibers are considered to play a crucial role in supporting diversity and activity of the microbiome, as well as immune homeostasis in the gut and lung. This review discusses the current state of knowledge on how dietary fibers and their bacterial fermentation products may affect the pathophysiology of allergic asthma. Moreover, the impact of dietary fibers on early type 2 asthma management, as shown in both pre-clinical and clinical studies, is described. Short-chain fatty acids, fiber metabolites, modulate host immunity and might reduce the risk of allergic asthma development. Underlying mechanisms include G protein-coupled receptor activation and histone deacetylase inhibition. These results are supported by studies in mice, children and adults with allergic asthma. Fibers might also exert direct effects on the immune system via yet to be elucidated mechanisms. However, the effects of specific types of fiber, dosages, duration of treatment, and combination with probiotics, need to be explored. There is an urgent need to further valorize the potential of specific dietary fibers in prevention and treatment of allergic asthma by conducting more large-scale dietary intervention trials.

Alnus hirsuta (Spach) Rupr. Attenuates Airway Inflammation and Mucus Overproduction in a Murine Model of Ovalbumin-Challenged Asthma

Alnus hirsuta (Spach) Rupr. (AH), a member of the Betulaceae family, is widely used in Eastern Asia of as a source of medicinal compounds for the treatment of hemorrhage, diarrhea, and alcoholism. In this study, we investigated the protective effects of a methanolic extract of AH branches against airway inflammation and mucus production in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-stimulated NCI-H292 cells and in an ovalbumin (OVA)-challenged allergic asthma mouse model. Female BALB/c mice were injected with OVA (40 μg) and aluminum hydroxide (2 mg) on days 0 and 14 to induce allergic airway inflammation. The mice were then challenged with 1% OVA from days 21–23. Mice were treated with AH (50 and 100 mg/kg/day; 2% DMSO) or dexamethasone (positive control; 3 mg/kg/day) from days 18–23. AH treatment effectively attenuated airway resistance/hyperresponsiveness and reduced levels of T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines, eotaxins, and number of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and immunoglobulin E in serums of OVA-challenged mice. In histological analysis, AH treatment significantly inhibited airway inflammation and mucus production in OVA-challenged mice. AH treatment downregulated the phosphorylation of I kappa B-alpha, p65 nuclear factor-kappa B (p65NF-κB), and mitogen-activated protein kinases with suppression of mucin 5AC (MUC5AC) in lung tissue. Moreover, AH treatment decreased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and Th2 cytokines, as well as MUC5AC expression, and inhibited the phosphorylation of p65NF-κB in TNF-α-stimulated NCI-H292 cells. These results indicate that AH might represent a useful therapeutic agent for the treatment of allergic asthma.

Socheongryongtang Modulates Asthma-Related Changes via Modulation of TNF-α and T-bet as well as IFN-γ in an Asthma Murine Model

In 2017 the World Health Organization (WHO) reported that 235 million people suffered from asthma, and that 383,000 deaths were due to asthma in 2015. Asthma cannot be completely eradicated and the medications for asthma are associated with many adverse effects. Socheongryongtang is one of the prescriptions which has traditionally been used for the treatment of pulmonary disease, but the anti-asthmatic mechanism is unclear. To investigate the anti-asthmatic mechanism of socheongryongtang, BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: control, asthma-induced control, dexamethasone treatment, and 150 mg/kg or 1500 mg/kg socheongryongtang treatment and several biomarkers were analyzed, such as white blood cell (WBC) and differential counts in broncheoalveolar fluid (BALF), immunoglobulin E (IgE) in serum, and morphological changes/helper T cell-related cytokines/transcription factor in the lung. The therapeutic ingredients were also analyzed. Socheongryongtang inhibited the neutrophils differentiation in BALF, controlled interleukin (IL)-12p40 releasing, down-regulated not only GATA-3 and helper 2 T (Th2) cell transcription factors but also IL-4, and also decreased the level of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the lung. In addition, through high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, we confirmed that the therapeutic ingredients in socheongryongtang were paeoniflorin, liquiritin, and glycyrrhizin. The oral intake of 7.3 g of socheongryongtang is beneficial for suppressing the possibility of the occurrence of asthma via modulation of TNF-α and T-bet as well as IFN-γ.

Advances in Research on the Bioactivity of Alginate Oligosaccharides

Alginate is a natural polysaccharide present in various marine brown seaweeds. Alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) is a degradation product of alginate, which has received increasing attention due to its low molecular weight and promising biological activity. The wide-ranging biological activity of AOS is closely related to the diversity of their structures. AOS with a specific structure and distinct applications can be obtained by different methods of alginate degradation. This review focuses on recent advances in the biological activity of alginate and its derivatives, including their anti-tumor, anti-oxidative, immunoregulatory, anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, antibacterial, hypolipidemic, antihypertensive, and hypoglycemic properties, as well as the ability to suppress obesity and promote cell proliferation and regulate plant growth. We hope that this review will provide theoretical basis and inspiration for the high-value research developments and utilization of AOS-related products.

Macmoondongtang modulates Th1-/Th2-related cytokines and alleviates asthma in a murine model

Objective

Macmoondongtang has been used as a traditional medicine to treat pulmonary disease in Korea. However, the mechanism underlying its therapeutic effect has yet to be reported. In the present study, the role of macmoondongtang as a respiratory medicine, especially as an anti-asthmatic agent, has been attributed to the down-regulation of interleukin (IL)-4 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α.

Materials & methods

BALB/c mice were divided into five groups: control, asthma-induced control, dexamethasone treatment, treatment with 150 mg/kg macmoondongtang, and treatment with 1500 mg/kg macmoondongtang. To evaluate the anti-asthmatic effect of macmoondongtang, we investigated its suppressive or inhibitory effects against typical asthmatic changes such as differential cell count in bronchioalveolar fluid (BALF), serum IgE levels, lung morphology, expression of Th1/Th2 cell transcription factors such as T-bet and GATA-3, and Th1-/Th2-/Th17-related cytokines such as interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-12p40, IL-4, -5, -13, TNF-α, and IL-6. The active ingredients in macmoondongtang were further analyzed.

Results

Macmoondongtang treatment down-regulated serum IgE level, a very important marker of hyper-responsiveness. It reversed typical morphological changes such as mucous hypersecretion, lung epithelial cell hyperplasia, and inflammatory cell infiltration near bronchioalveolar space and veins. Macmoondongtang significantly decreased neutrophil count in BALF, as well as reduced T-bet, IFN-γ, and TNF-α expression in the lung. It also showed a dose-dependent control of inflammatory cells in BALF, controlled the expression of IL-12, IL-4, and IL-5 genes in the lung, and the protein expression of IL12p40, GATA-3, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. The component analysis revealed glycyrrhizin and liquiritin as the active ingredients.

Conclusions

Macmoondongtang treatment alleviates asthma symptoms and modulate the Th1-/Th2- related cytokines. Glycyrrhizin and liquiritin could be the major the active therapeutic components.

Allium hookeri root extract regulates asthmatic changes through immunological modulation of Th1/Th2‑related factors in an ovalbumin‑induced asthma mouse model

In 2013, WHO estimated that approximately 235 million people suffered from asthma worldwide. Asthma is a hyper responsive disorder, which is related to an imbalance between the T-helper type 1 and 2 cells (henceforth, Th1 and Th2, respectively). Allium hookeri is a plant that is widely used for culinary purposes and also in traditional Asian medicine. The present study was conducted to elucidate the anti-asthmatic effects and mechanism of action of A. hookeri root extracts (AHRE) in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model. The mice were divided into five groups, namely, the control, the OVA-treated group, the dexamethasone-treated group, the 30 mg/kg AHRE-treated group, and the 300 mg/kg AHRE-treated group. The total WBC count and the differential cell count in the bronchoalveolar fluid, the level of serum IgE, the histopathological changes in the lung, and changes in the cell surface molecules, the asthma-related cytokine levels, and Th cell transcription factors were evaluated. AHRE significantly ameliorated asthmatic changes, such as the total WBC count, eosinophil count, and the level of IgE; in addition, it reduced mucus hypersecretion, epithelial hyperplasia, and eosinophil infiltration in the lungs. AHRE significantly inhibited the expression of CD68⁺ cells and MHC class II⁺ molecules, Th1 cell transcription factor (T-bet) activation, Th2 cell transcription factor (GATA-3) activation, and TNF-α in the lung tissue. Furthermore, it suppressed cell surface molecules, such as CD4⁺and CD8⁺; Th1-related cytokines, such as IFN-γ and IL-12p40; Th2-related cytokines, such as IL-4 and IL-5; and Th17-related cytokines, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, AHRE may be considered a promising anti-asthmatic drug.

AOS ameliorates monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension by restraining the activation of P-selectin/p38MAPK/NF-κB pathway in rats

Perivascular inflammation, vascular luminal area reduction and hemodynamics changes are important pathophysiologic bases of pulmonary hypertension (PH). In this study, PH was induced by an intraperitoneal single injection of monocrotaline (MCT, 60 mg/kg). Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS), one of the most famous marine drugs, provided protections in the perivascular inflammation, vascular luminal area reduction and hemodynamics changes of the PH rat induced by MCT. The downregulation of P-selectin plays an important role in the protective effects of AOS against MCT induced PH. The results showed that the treatment with AOS (5, 10, or 20 mg/kg) dose-dependently decreased the expression of P-selectin in serum, pulmonary tissue and pulmonary artery of MCT-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension rats. What's more, the study showed that the protective effects were mediated by the inhibition of p38MAPK/NF-κB pathway, which was caused by reducing the p-p38MAPK protein expression, IκBα degradation and nuclear transcription of NF-κB protein in the pulmonary artery of MCT-induced PH rats. These findings provided an alternative potent medicine for the prevention and therapy of PH.

Mycoleptodonoides aitchisonii suppresses asthma via Th2 and Th1 cell regulation in an ovalbumin‑induced asthma mouse model

Asthma is a chronic respiratory disease related to hyper‑responsiveness. The majority of patients suffer mild symptoms, however, some cases, especially in the young and the elderly, can lead to death by apnea. Mycoleptodonoides atichisonii (M. atichisonii) is an edible mushroom that has previously been reported to possess several bioactive properties, such as the synthesis of nerve growth factors, anti‑obesity effects and the ability to prevent cell death. In the current study, the authors evaluated the anti‑asthmatic effects of M. atichisonii using an ovalbumin‑induced asthma mouse model. M. atichisonii dose‑dependently suppressed the levels of white blood cells, eosinophils and immunoglobulin (Ig)E in BALB/c mice, resulting from ovalbumin‑induced asthma. M. atichisonii recovered the typical asthmatic morphological changes in lungs, such as mucous hyper‑secretion, epithelial layer hyperplasia, eosinophil infiltration and various cell surface molecules, such as CD3, CD4, CD8, CD19 and major histocompatibility complex class II. With the exception of CD19+ cells and IL‑12p40, M. atichisonii affected almost all factors related to asthma induction including the T helper (Th)1/Th2 transcription factors, T‑bet and GATA‑3, Th1‑related cytokines, Th2‑related cytokines and proinflammatory cytokines. In addition, M. atichisonii significantly inhibited the expression of IL‑5, IL‑13 and IL‑6. The authors concluded that M. atichisonii may be a promising drug candidate against asthma.

Opuntia humifusa modulates morphological changes characteristic of asthma via IL-4 and IL-13 in an asthma murine model

Asthma is a chronic pulmonary disease that affects an estimated 235 million people worldwide, but asthma drugs have many adverse effects. Opuntia humifusa (eastern prickly pear) has been used as a food and traditional medicine worldwide; however, its anti-asthmatic effects have not been reported. We evaluated O. humifusa as a potential therapeutic or preventive component of anti-asthmatic drugs. We divided ovalbumin-sensitized mice into the following groups: normal control, asthma-induced control, dexamethasone-treated group (positive control), 50 mg/kg O. humifusa-treated group, 100 mg/kg O. humifusa-treated group, and 500 mg/kg O. humifusa-treated group. Levels of Th1/Th2/Th17-related cytokines were evaluated using RT-PCR, ELISA, and immunohistochemistry. O. humifusa dose-dependently suppressed the morphological changes typically observed in asthma, such as goblet cell hyperplasia, inflammatory cell infiltration, mucous hypersecretion, and relative basement membrane thickening in the respiratory system. These results may be attributable to regulation of Th1-/Th2-/Th17-related factors, especially interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13. We conclude that O. humifusa is a potential anti-asthmatic functional food.

Abbreviations: O. humifusa: Opuntia humifusa; Th: helper T; RT-PCR: real-time polymerase chain reaction; ELISA: enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay; IL: interleukin; WHO: World Health Organization; IFN-γ: interferon gamma; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor-alpha; IgE: immunoglobulin E; CD: cluster of differentiation; OVA: ovalbumin; DEX: dexamethasone; BALF: bronchoalveolar fluid; H&E: hematoxylin and eosin; PAS: periodic acid-schiff; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; BM: basement membrane; cDNA: complementary deoxyribonucleic acid; RNA: ribo nucleic acid; RIPA: radioimmunoprecipitation assay; IHC: immunohistochemistry; HPLC: high-performance liquid chromatography; SD: standard deviation; WBC: white blood cells; APCs: antigen-presenting cells

Alginate Oligosaccharide Prevents Acute Doxorubicin Cardiotoxicity by Suppressing Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum-Mediated Apoptosis

Doxorubicin (DOX) is a highly potent chemotherapeutic agent, but its usage is limited by dose-dependent cardiotoxicity. DOX-induced cardiotoxicity involves increased oxidative stress and activated endoplasmic reticulum-mediated apoptosis. Alginate oligosaccharide (AOS) is a non-immunogenic, non-toxic and biodegradable polymer, with anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory and anti-endoplasmic reticulum stress properties. The present study examined whether AOS pretreatment could protect against acute DOX cardiotoxicity, and the underlying mechanisms focused on oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum-mediated apoptosis. We found that AOS pretreatment markedly increased the survival rate of mice insulted with DOX, improved DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction and attenuated DOX-induced myocardial apoptosis. AOS pretreatment mitigated DOX-induced cardiac oxidative stress, as shown by the decreased expressions of gp91 (phox) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). Moreover, AOS pretreatment significantly decreased the expression of Caspase-12, C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) (markers for endoplasmic reticulum-mediated apoptosis) and Bax (a downstream molecule of CHOP), while up-regulating the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Taken together, these findings identify AOS as a potent compound that prevents acute DOX cardiotoxicity, at least in part, by suppression of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum-mediated apoptosis.

Erythronium japonicum attenuates histopathological lung abnormalities in a mouse model of ovalbumin-induced asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung condition that can induce mucus hypersecretion and pulmonary obstruction and may even cause death, particularly in children and older individuals. Erythronium japonicum (E. japonicum) is a traditional herb used in Korea and East Asian countries that has been found to exert free radical scavenging activity and anti-proliferative effects in human colorectal carcinoma cells. In the present study, we evaluated the anti-asthmatic effects of an extract of E. japonicum in a mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma. Female BALB/c mice were sensitized with an intraperitoneal injection of OVA and aluminum hydroxide hydrate on days 1 and 8 and then received the following treatments on days 21 to 25: i) control (no treatment), ii) sterilized tap water (given orally), iii) 1 mg/kg/day dexamethasone (administered orally), iv) 60 mg/kg/day E. japonicum extract, and v) 600 mg/kg/day E. japonicum extract. On the same days, all the mice except those in the control group were challenged 1 h later with nebulized 5% OVA for 30 min. We found that treatment with E. japonicum extract suppressed the OVA-induced increase in the number of white blood cells and decreased the IgE level in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples obtained from the mice. Histopathological analysis of the lung tissues revealed that E. japonicum attenuated the asthma-related morphological changes in the mouse lung tissue, including the increased secretion of mucus in the bronchioles, eosinophil infiltration around the bronchioles and vessels, and goblet cell and epithelial cell hyperplasia. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that treatment with E. japonicum extract suppressed the OVA-induced proliferation of T helper cells (CD4⁺) and B cells (CD19⁺) in the mouse lung tissue. Furthermore, treatment with E. japonicum extract modulated the expression of both T helper 2 cell-related factors [GATA binding protein 3 (GATA-3), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-13], as well as that of T helper 1 cell-related factors [(interferon-γ (IFN-γ), IL-12p35 and IL-12p40]. These findings suggest that E. japonicum may potentially be used as an anti-asthmatic treatment.