Role of licochalcone A on thymic stromal lymphopoietin expression: Implications for asthma

Abstract

Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the infiltration and accumulation of memory-like Th2 cells and eosinophils. Viral infection has emerged as the most common cause of severe episodes of asthma. For the treatment of bronchial asthma, the root of liquorice ( Glycyrrhiza glabra) has been used as a traditional medicine in the East and West. Licochalcone A is the predominant, characteristic chalcone in liquorice root. To determine whether licochalcone A possesses an anti-inflammatory effect, we tested its effect on the expression and production of thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) in BEAS 2B cells and primary bronchial epithelial cells. We found that polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly-IC)-induced TSLP expression was suppressed by treatment with licochalcone A in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also found that poly-IC-induced mRNA expression of other proinflammatory mediators such as MCP-1, RANTES, and IL-8 was suppressed by licochalcone A. Furthermore, licochalcone A suppressed poly-IC-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) nuclear translocation and DNA-binding activity by suppressing the Iκβ kinase (IKK) activity but not by direct phosphorylation of p65 at serine 276. Collectively, our findings suggest that licochalcone A suppresses poly-IC-induced TSLP expression and production by inhibiting the IKK/NF-κB signaling pathway, which might be involved in the pathogenesis of virus-exacerbated asthma. Further elucidation of the mechanisms underlying these observations can help develop therapeutic strategies for virally induced asthma.