Mechanism of Qidan Yifei Tongqiao Prescription in Regulating Th17/Treg Immune Balance in Rats with Allergic Rhinitis

Abstract

Objective: To explore the regulatory mechanism of the Chinese medicine Qidan Yifei Tongqiao on T helper (Th)17/regulatory T (Treg) cell immune balance in rat models with allergic rhinitis (AR). Methods: Thirty-two rats were divided into four groups: a blank group, a model group, a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) group and a Western medicine group. An AR model was established in the latter three groups using ovalbumin (OVA). After successful modelling, the TCM group was gavaged with Qidan Yifei Tongqiao concentrated solution. The blank group and the model group were given normal saline, and the Western medicine group was administered intragastric normal saline and loratadine for a total of 28 d. The histopathological changes in the rats nasal mucosa were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining, the levels of interleukin (IL)-17 and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the protein expression of forkhead box Protein 3 (Foxp3) and retinoid-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt) were detected by Western blot. Results: Compared with the rats in the blank group, the IL-17 content of the rats in the model group increased (p < 0.05), while the content of TGF-β1 decreased (p < 0.01). Compared with the rats in the model group, the content of IL-17 in the rats in the Western medicine group and the Chinese medicine group decreased (p < 0.05), and the content of TGF-β1 increased (p < 0.01); no statistically significant differences were detected between the Chinese and Western medicine groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The TCM Qidan Yifei Tongqiao may play a role in relieving AR symptoms by regulating the immune balance of Th17/Treg cells.