To study the role of
Allicin in regulating Treg/Th17 ratio in splenic lymphocyte by increasing the expression of
MEKK2 protein in MAPK signaling pathway, and to explore the mechanism of immune response in mice with
collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Mouse CIA model was induced by chicken
collagen type II, and experimental mice were randomly divided into NC group, Model group, and
Allicin group. HE staining was used to compare the degree of joint pathological damage in mice of each group, and Masson staining to observe the proliferation of
collagen tissue in each group. Flow cytometry detected Treg/Th17 ratio in splenic lymphocytes. Furthermore, RT-PCR and WB were used to detect the
mRNA and
protein expression of related
transcription factors and inflammatory factors Foxp3, ROR-γt, and
IL-17A, as well as MEK2
protein expression in splenic lymphocytes. The results showed that
Allicin treatment could reduce the severity of
arthritis and the proliferation of
collagen fibers on the surface of cartilage and bone joints in CIA mice. Compared with NC group, Treg decreased and Th17 increased in spleen lymphocyte of Model group (p < .01); after
Allicin treatment, Treg increased while Th17 decreased significantly (p < .01). Meanwhile,
MEKK2 protein expression in spleen lymphocyte of Model group decreased compared to that in NC group (p < .01), and MEK2
protein expression increased significantly after
Allicin treatment (p < .01). To sum up, the present study suggests that
MEKK2 protein plays an important role in the pathogenesis of CIA model. In terms of mechanism,
Allicin may play a therapeutic role in
rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by increasing the expression of
MEKK2 protein and affecting Treg/Th17 ratio.