Anti-inflammatory effects of low-molecular weight chitosan oligosaccharides in IgE–antigen complex-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells and asthma model mice

• Published in: International immunopharmacology Vol. 12; no. 2; pp. 453 - 459
• Main Authors: Chung, Mi Ja, Park, Jae Kweon, Park, Yong Il
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier B.V 01.02.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - immunology; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Antigens - immunology; Asthma; Asthma - drug therapy; Asthma - genetics; Asthma - immunology; Asthma - metabolism; Biological and medical sciences; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid - immunology; Cell Line, Tumor; Chitosan - immunology; Chitosan - pharmacology; Chitosan oligosaccharides; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Female; Glucosamine - immunology; Glucosamine - pharmacology; Hypersensitivity - immunology; Immunoglobulin E - immunology; In vivo activity; Inflammation; Interleukins - genetics; Interleukins - immunology; Interleukins - metabolism; Leukemia, Basophilic, Acute - drug therapy; Leukemia, Basophilic, Acute - genetics; Leukemia, Basophilic, Acute - immunology; Leukemia, Basophilic, Acute - metabolism; Lung - drug effects; Lung - immunology; Lung - metabolism; Medical sciences; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Molecular Weight; Oligosaccharides - immunology; Oligosaccharides - pharmacology; Ovalbumin - immunology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Pneumology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - genetics; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - immunology; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - metabolism; Chitosan oligosaccharides; Inflammation; Cytokines; Asthma; In vivo activity; Animal model; IgE; Bronchus disease; Obstructive pulmonary disease; Lung disease; Respiratory disease; Oligosaccharide; Rodentia; Antiinflammatory agent; Cytokine; Polymer; In vitro; Biological activity; Low molecular weight; Antigen; In vivo; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Mouse; Chitosan
• ISSN: 1567-5769; 1878-1705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2011.12.027

The anti-inflammatory effects of low-molecular weight chitosan oligosaccharides (LM-COS) prepared from high-molecular weight chitosan by enzymatic digestion were investigated against allergic reaction and allergic asthma in vivo and in vitro. Allergic asthma is an inflammatory disease of the airways associated with enhanced degranulation and cytokine generation. The LM-COS (<1kDa), consisting of glucosamine (GlcN)n, n=3–5, were capable of inhibiting both antigen-stimulated degranulation and cytokine generation in rat basophilic leukemia RBL-2H3 cells. The protective effect of LM-COS against ovalbumin (OVA)-induced lung inflammation in asthma model mice was also examined. Oral administration of LM-COS (16mg/kg body weight/day) resulted in a significant reduction in both mRNA and protein levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, IL-13, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in the lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); The protein levels of IL-4, IL-13 and TNF-α in BALF were decreased by 5.8-fold, 3.0-fold and 9.9-fold, respectively, compared to those in the OVA-sensitized/challenged asthma control group. These results suggest that the oral administration of LM-COS is effective in alleviating the allergic inflammation in vivo and thus can be a good source material for the development of a potent therapeutic agent against mast cell-mediated allergic inflammatory responses and airway inflammation in allergic inflammatory diseases, including asthma. ►Low-molecular weight chitosan oligosaccharides (LM-COS, <1kDa) were used. ►LM-COS have anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and in vivo. ►LM-COS inhibited both degranulation and cytokine generation in RBL-2H3 cells. ►LM-COS inhibited lung inflammation in allergic asthma model mice.