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Catechin ameliorates cardiac dysfunction in rats with chronic heart failure by regulating the balance between Th17 and Treg cells

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Abstract

Objective

Disequilibrium of the cytokine network was reported to play an important role in the progression of chronic heart failure (CHF). Catechin exerts cardioprotection through treating many kinds of angiocardiopathy. However, the effects of catechin on CHF are currently unclear. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy of catechin on CHF rats as well as its relationship to immunoregulation.

Methods

CHF was induced in rats by ligation of the abdominal aorta. Myocardial function was evaluated by left ventricular systolic pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The cytokine level was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Th17 and Treg levels in peripheral blood and spleen were analyzed by flow cytometry.

Results

The results showed that catechin treatment (50, 100 mg/kg/day) markedly improved myocardial function in rats treated with abdominal aortic coarctation. Severity of myocardial dysfunction in CHF rats significantly correlated with serum values of interleukin-17 (IL-17)/IL-10. Further results indicated catechin obviously inhibited immune activation, regulated unbalanced levels of IL-17/IL-10, and reversed abnormal polarization of TH17 as well as Treg in peripheral blood and spleen.

Conclusions

Taken together, oral administration of catechin effectively suppressed abdominal aorta ligation-induced CHF in rats, which was closely associated with its modulation on Th17 and Treg.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Anhui Province Nature Science Foundation in the University (kj2013z125).

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Geriatric Department of the Affiliated Provincial Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Institute of Cardiovascular Disease, Hefei, 230001, China

    Qi Zhang, Li-qun Hu, Chang-sen Yin, Ping Chen, Hong-qi Li, Xin Sun & Guang Yan

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  1. Qi Zhang
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  2. Li-qun Hu
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  3. Chang-sen Yin
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  4. Ping Chen
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  5. Hong-qi Li
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  6. Xin Sun
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  7. Guang Yan
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Correspondence to Guang Yan.

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Responsible Editor: Liwu Li.

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Zhang, Q., Hu, Lq., Yin, Cs. et al. Catechin ameliorates cardiac dysfunction in rats with chronic heart failure by regulating the balance between Th17 and Treg cells. Inflamm. Res. 63, 619–628 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-014-0734-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-014-0734-4

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