Effect of Agmatine on a mouse model of allergic airway inflammation: A comparative study

Abstract

Introduction

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that injures and constricts the airways. This study evaluates the effects of agmatine on ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic inflammation of the airways.

Methods

OVA sensitization by intraperitoneal injection was used to induce airway inflammation in mice on days 0 and 7; then the mice were challenged using beclomethasone (150 µg/kg, inhalation), a standard anti-asthmatic drug, from day 14 to day 16. Furthermore, agmatine (200 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally injected on day 0 and then daily for 16 days, followed by OVA challenge. The lung weight ratio, total and differential cell counts, TNF-α, interleukin-5 (IL-5) and IL-13 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), lung nitrite/nitrate (NO), and oxidative parameters were determined. Moreover, histopathological and immunohistochemical staining was employed.

Results

Injection of agmatine (200 mg/kg) for 16 days significantly attenuated inflammation of the airways. The levels of BALF inflammatory cells, TNF-α, IL-5, IL-13, lung NO, and malondialdehyde (MDA), significantly decreased with concomitant elevation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses of mast cells paralleled to biochemical improvements.

Conclusion

Finally, this study illustrated that agmatine attenuates the allergic inflammation of airways caused by OVA by mitigating cytokines release, NO expression, and oxidative stress.

Keywords:

• OVA
• airway inflammation
• agmatine
• beclomethasone
• IL-13

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Correction

Author contribution

Ghada M. Suddek and Rania R. Abdelaziz conceived and designed the study. Mohammed K. Elmahdy and Rania R. Abdelaziz conducted the experiments. Hoda S. Elmahdi designed and assessed the pathological data. Rania R. Abdelaziz wrote the manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author (Rania R. Abdelaziz). The data are not publicly available due to privacy.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.