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Taraxacum mongolicum protects against Staphylococcus aureus-infected mastitis by exerting anti-inflammatory role via TLR2-NF-kappa B/MAPKs pathways in mice

Authors Ge, Bing-jie; Zhao, Peng; Li, Hai-tao; Sang, Rui; Wang, Meng; Zhou, Hong-yuan; Zhang, Xue-mei

Journal JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY , MAR 25 2021,:268

DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113595 PubMed 33212175

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance: As a traditional Chinese medicine, Taraxacum mongolicum has been widely used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of inflammatory and infectious diseases, and also clinically used as a remedy for mastitis. However, the scientific rationale and mechanism behind its use on mastitis in vivo are still unclear.Aim of the study: This study aimed to investigate the protective effect and potential mechanism of Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz. (T. mongolicum) on mastitis infected by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus).Materials and methods: Female ICR mice were given intragastrically 2.5, 5 and 10 g/kg of T. mongolicum extract twice per day for 6 consecutive days, and infected with S. aureus via teat canal to induce mastitis. Pro inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) levels were determined by ELISA. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and distribution were measured by reagent kit and immunohistochemistry. Histopathological changes of mammary gland tissues were observed by H&E staining. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) expression, phosphorylations of related proteins in nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) signaling pathways were detected by western blot.Results: T. mongolicum decreased TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-1 beta levels, and reduced MPO activity and distribution in sera and mammary glands with S. aureus-infected mastitis. In addition, T. mongolicum effectively attenuated histopathological damages and cell necrosis of mammary gland tissues infected by S. aureus. Moreover, T. mongolicum inhibited the expression of TLR2, and the phosphorylations of inhibitor kappa B alpha (I kappa B alpha), p65, p38, extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) proteins in mammary glands with S. aureusinfected mastitis.Conclusions: This study suggests that T. mongolicum protects against S. aureus-infected mastitis by exerting antiinflammatory role, which is attributed to the inhibition of TLR2-NF-kappa B/MAPKs pathways.

Species covered 蒲公英 Taraxacum mongolicum