Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, 247928Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Radiation Biology Department, 68892National Centre for Radiation Research and Technology, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo, Egypt.
Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol. 2023 Jan-Dec;37:3946320221150720. doi: 10.1177/03946320221150720.
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory bowel disease, and until now therapeutic agents for UC still cannot exert satisfied effects. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the ameliorative effect of boswellic acid coated zinc nanoparticles (BAs-ZnNPs) on dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) induced-UC in rats.
Rats were divided into five groups; control, BAs-ZnNPs, DSS, DSS+BAs, and DSS + BAs-ZnNPs. The activity of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was determined colorimetrically, while the concentration of IgM, IgG, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8 were measured by ELISA. Levels of gene expression of NF-κB and COX-2 genes were evaluated by RT-qPCR, while the expression of protein levels of PI3K and STAT-3 were done by western blotting. Finally, histopathological examination of colon tissues of different groups of rats was done.
The depicted ball-like structure of the BAs-ZnNPs in the TEM images ranging in size from 50 to 100 nm in diameter while their formation was confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy with a sharp peak of maximum absorbance at 266 nm. Our results revealed that BAs-ZnNPs exerted an anti-inflammatory effect in the experimental model of colitis, demonstrated histologically and biochemically as shown by the improvement of ALP, IgM, IgG, and the gene expression levels of NF-κB and COX-2. Also, this beneficial effect was associated with the reduction in the expression of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, PI3K, and STAT-3. Thus, this effect improves the altered immune response associated with the colonic inflammation.
BAs-ZnNPs can be proposed as a therapeutic candidate to attenuate UC. The potential underlying mechanism includes suppression of ALP, IgM, IgG, IL-1β, and IL-8 levels via regulation of NF-κB and COX-2 gene expression and STAT-3 and PI3K protein expression in a UC rat model.
溃疡性结肠炎（UC）是一种慢性非特异性炎症性肠病，到目前为止，UC 的治疗药物仍不能发挥满意的效果。因此，本研究旨在探讨乳香酸包被锌纳米粒子（BAs-ZnNPs）对葡聚糖硫酸钠（DSS）诱导的 UC 大鼠的改善作用。
将大鼠分为五组：对照组、BAs-ZnNPs 组、DSS 组、DSS+BAs 组和 DSS+BAs-ZnNPs 组。通过比色法测定碱性磷酸酶（ALP）的活性，通过 ELISA 法测定 IgM、IgG、TNF-α、IL-1β 和 IL-8 的浓度。通过 RT-qPCR 评价 NF-κB 和 COX-2 基因的表达水平，通过 Western blot 法测定 PI3K 和 STAT-3 蛋白水平。最后，对不同组大鼠结肠组织进行组织病理学检查。
TEM 图像显示 BAs-ZnNPs 的球状物结构，直径大小为 50-100nm，紫外-可见光谱证实其形成，最大吸收峰在 266nm。我们的结果表明，BAs-ZnNPs 在结肠炎实验模型中发挥了抗炎作用，表现在组织学和生物化学方面，如 ALP、IgM、IgG 以及 NF-κB 和 COX-2 的基因表达水平的改善。此外，这种有益的作用与 TNF-α、IL-1β、IL-8、PI3K 和 STAT-3 表达的减少有关。因此，这种作用改善了与结肠炎症相关的改变的免疫反应。
BAs-ZnNPs 可以作为一种治疗候选药物来减轻 UC。潜在的作用机制包括通过调节 NF-κB 和 COX-2 基因表达以及 STAT-3 和 PI3K 蛋白表达，抑制 UC 大鼠模型中 ALP、IgM、IgG、IL-1β 和 IL-8 水平。
