Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) alleviates Sjogren's syndrome through inhibiting inflammatory responses in mice

Abstract Background Sjogren's syndrome (SS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease whose etiology is complicated. Total glucosides of paeony (TGP) has a variety of pharmacological effects. Purpose To evaluate the therapeutic effects of TGP on SS in mice and anti-inflammatory mechanism. Study Design SS animal model was developed from C57BL/6J mice through immunological induction (SS mice) and NOD/ShiltJNju (NOD) mice. Inflammatory cytokines and other related indicators were measured. Methods TGP (720, 360, 180 mg/kg) was intragastrically administered for 6 or 16 weeks for SS mice and NOD mice, respectively. Average food and water intake, average body weight, saliva flow, submandibular gland (SMG) and spleen index, and SMG pathology were measured. ELISA was used to evaluate serum inflammatory cytokines in SS mice and autoantigens in NOD mice. Real-time PCR, Western blot and Luminex liquid suspension chip assay were applied to analyze SMG inflammatory cytokines mRNA and protein expression of NOD mice. Results Compared with SS mice, TGP treatment improved SMG pathological damage. TGP (720 mg/kg) treatment increased saliva flow, and reduced organ indexes and serum IL-6 and IFN-γ concentration. TGP (360 mg/kg) treatment decreased serum IFN-γ concentration. TGP (180 mg/kg) treatment for 6 weeks decreased average body weight. Compared with NOD mice, TGP treatment increased saliva flow from 9 to 15 weeks, decreased body weight, and alleviated pathological damage of SMG after 2 and 16 weeks. After 2 weeks of administration, TGP treatment inhibited serum concentration of SSB/La, SSA/Ro and α-fodrin, decreased TNF-α, IL-1β and IFN-γ in SMG, and down-regulated protein expressions of BAFF and IL-17A and mRNA expressions of BAFF, TNF-α, IL-17A, CXCL9 and CXCL13 in SMG. After 8 weeks of administration, TGP treatment decreased the concentration of α-fodrin in serum, TNF-α and IL-6 in SMG, and down-regulated mRNA expressions of IL-17A, TNF-α, CXCL9, CXCL13 and BAFF and protein expressions of IL-17A and BAFF in SMG. After 16 weeks of administration, TGP treatment reduced serum SSA/Ro, SSB/La and α-fodrin concentration, and decreased BAFF protein expression and TNF-α, CXCL9, CXCL13, IL-17A, and BAFF mRNA expressions. Conclusion TGP has a certain therapeutic effect on SS mice and NOD mice through inhibiting inflammatory responses.