Treatment Effect on Structure and Function of Submandibular Gland in Sjögren's Syndrome Model Mice by Artemisinin
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20242391
- VernacularTitle:青蒿素对干燥综合征模型小鼠颌下腺结构和功能的影响
- Author:
Ziwei HUANG
1
;
Qian HE
1
;
Jiahe LIAO
1
;
Xinbo YU
1
;
Jing LUO
2
;
Weijiang SONG
3
;
Qingwen TAO
2
Author Information
1. Graduate School，Beijing University of Chinese Medicine，Beijing 100029，China
2. China-Japan Friendship Hospital，Beijing 100029，China
3. Peking University Third Hospital，Beijing 100191，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
artemisinin;
Sjögren's syndrome;
NOD/Ltj mice;
submandibular gland;
aquaporin 5（AQP5）
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2025;31(4):158-165
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of artemisinin （ART） on histopathological damage and salivary secretion in the submandibular gland （SMG） of mice with Sjögren's syndrome （SS） model，and on the expression of aquaporin 5 （AQP5） in SMG cells. MethodsThe NOD/Ltj mice were used as a model of SS and randomly divided into the SS model group，the ART group，and the hydroxychloroquine sulfate （HCQ） group，with six mice per group. Another 6 female BALB/c mice at the same week were selected as the control group. Mice in the ART group was fed with the ART solution daily in the dosage of 50 mg·kg-1，and mice in the HCQ group was given with the HCQ solution （1 300 mg·kg-1）. Mice in the SS model and control groups were given saline daily. The treatment lasted for 8 weeks. The 24-hour average water intake，salivary flow rate，SMG pathology scores of mice in each group were measured，as well as the expression levels of AQP5 protein and gene in the SMG tissues. ResultsCompared with the control group，the 24-hour average water intake of mice in the model group was significantly increased （P<0.01），and the saliva flow rate was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared to the SS model group，the 24-hour average water intake of mice in the ART and HCQ groups was significantly reduced （P<0.01），and the salivary flow rate was significantly increased in the ART group（P<0.01），comparisons between groups showed that the ART was superior to the HCQ in reducing water intake and improving saliva flow rate in SS model mice （P<0.05）. The HE staining results showed that，compared with the normal group，the number of lymphocyte infiltration foci in SMG tissue in the model group increased，and the pathological score increased （P<0.01）. Compared to the SS model group，after the intervention of the ART and HCQ，the number of lymphocytic infiltration foci in the SMG tissue decreased，the area of the lymphocytic infiltration foci was reduced，and the pathology score of the SMG tissues was lowered in the ART group（P<0.01）. However，there was no difference in pathological scores between the ART and HCQ groups . The results of IHC，Western blot，and Real-time PCR showed that，compared with the normal group，the expression levels of AQP5 protein and gene in SMG tissue in the model group significantly decreased （P<0.05）. Comparing with the SS model group，the ART and HCQ groups could significantly up-regulated the expression levels of AQP5 protein and mRNA in the SMG tissue，and the treatment effect was better than that of HCQ. ConclusionART was able to ameliorate SMG structural damage and salivary secretion function in SS model mice，and its mechanism of action may be related to the up-regulation of AQP5 protein and gene expression levels in SMG cells.
