2. Academic Validation
  3. Dihydroartemisinin imposes positive and negative regulation on Treg and plasma cells via direct interaction and activation of c-Fos

Dihydroartemisinin imposes positive and negative regulation on Treg and plasma cells via direct interaction and activation of c-Fos

  • Commun Biol. 2023 Jan 16;6(1):52. doi: 10.1038/s42003-023-04454-5.
Qilong Li # 1 2,  Ning Jiang # 1 2,  Yiwei Zhang 1 2,  Yize Liu 1 2,  Ziwei Su 1 2,  Quan Yuan 1 2,  Xiaoyu Sang 1 2,  Ran Chen 1 2,  Ying Feng 1 2,  Qijun Chen 3 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang, 110866, China.
  • 2 Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang, 110866, China.
  • 3 Key Laboratory of Livestock Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Zoonosis, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang, 110866, China. qijunchen759@syau.edu.cn.
  • 4 Research Unit for Pathogenic Mechanisms of Zoonotic Parasites, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, 120 Dongling Road, Shenyang, 110866, China. qijunchen759@syau.edu.cn.
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 36646927 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04454-5
Abstract

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), a potent antimalarial drug, also exhibits distinct property in modulation on Treg and B cells, which has been recognized for decades, but the underlying mechanisms remain understood. Herein we revealed that DHA could promote Treg proliferation, meanwhile, suppress B cell expansion in germinal centers, and consequently decrease the number of circulating plasma cells and the content of serum immunoglobulins. Further, DHA-activated Treg significantly mitigated lipopolysaccharide-induced and malaria-associated inflammation. All these scenarios were attributed to the upregulation of c-Fos expression by DHA and enhancement of its interaction with target genes in both Treg and circulating plasma cells with bilateral cell fates. In Treg, the c-Fos-DHA complex upregulated cell proliferation-associated genes and promoted cell expansion; whereas in plasma cells, it upregulated the apoptosis-related genes resulting in decreased circulating plasma cells. Thus, the bilateral immunoregulatory mechanism of DHA was elucidated and its application in the treatment of autoimmune diseases is further justified.

Figures
Products
  • Cat. No.
    Product Name
    Description
    Target
    Research Area
  • HY-12270
    99.59%, c-Fos/AP-1 Inhibitor