Lycium barbarum Polysaccharide Ameliorates Sjögren's Syndrome in a Murine Model

• Published in: Molecular nutrition & food research 2021-06, Vol.65 (11), p.e2001118-n/a
• Main Authors: Wang, Yifan, Xiao, Jia, Duan, Yuchen, Miao, Miao, Huang, Bo, Chen, Jiali, Cheng, Gong, Zhou, Xingyu, Jin, Yuebo, He, Jing, Li, Zhanguo, So, Kwok‐Fai
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal models; Animals; Autoantibodies - metabolism; CD4 antigen; CD4+IL‐17A+ helper T cells; Cell differentiation; Diabetes mellitus; Differentiation (biology); Disease Models, Animal; Dosage; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - administration & dosage; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - adverse effects; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Female; Germinal Center - drug effects; Germinal Center - pathology; Helper cells; Humans; Inflammation; Interleukins; Leukocytes (mononuclear); Leukocytes, Mononuclear - drug effects; Lycium barbarum; Lycium barbarum polysaccharide; Lymph nodes; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Memory T Cells - drug effects; Mice; Mice, Inbred NOD; Peripheral blood mononuclear cells; Polysaccharides; regulatory T cell; Saline water; Salivary gland; Salivary glands; Salivary Glands - drug effects; Salivary Glands - pathology; Salivary Glands - physiopathology; Sjogren's syndrome; Sjogren's Syndrome - drug therapy; Sjogren's Syndrome - immunology; Sjogren's Syndrome - pathology; sjögren's syndrome; Spleen; Spleen - cytology; Spleen - drug effects; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Water treatment
• ISSN: 1613-4125; 1613-4133
• DOI: 10.1002/mnfr.202001118

Scope This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms of Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Methods and results Non‐obese diabetic mice (the pSS model) are randomly divided into four groups: Low dose LBP (LBP.L, 5 mg kg−1 d−1), high dose LBP (10 mg kg−1 d−1), low dose interleukin (IL)‐2 (25 000 IU/d), and control (saline water). Drugs were treated for 12 weeks. LBP.L significantly reduces the salivary gland inflammation compared with the control group (histological score p LBP.L vs Control = 0.019; foci number: p LBP.L vs Control = 0.038). LBP.L also remarkably reduces the effector follicular helper T (Tfh) cells and the CD4+IL‐17A+ helper T (Th17) cells in both spleen and cervical lymph node (cLN) cells. Additionally, the ratios of regulatory T cell (Treg)/Tfh cells and Treg/Th17 cells are substantially increased in mice treated with LBP.L in both spleen and cLNs. LBP also inhibits Th17 and Tfh cells and markedly increases the Treg/Tfh ratio in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Conclusion LBP.L inhibits the progression of pSS in mice, associated with modulation of T cell differentiation. The primary Sjögren's syndrome model mice are administered with the low or high dose Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP.L or LBP.H) for 12 weeks. LBP.L relieves the submandibular glands inflammation and suppresses anti‐nuclear antibodies. It also suppresses pro‐inflammatory helper T cell populations, modulates CD4+ T cell differentiation, and restores balance between regulatory T cell cells and effector T cells.