Glycyrrhizin Attenuates Salmonella Typhimurium-Induced Tissue Injury, Inflammatory Response, and Intestinal Dysbiosis in C57BL/6 Mice.

Abstract

Salmonellae are one of the most important foodborne pathogens, which threaten the health of humans and animals severely. Glycyrrhizin (GL) has been proven to exhibit anti-inflammatory and tissue-protective properties. Here, we investigated the effects of GL on tissue injury, inflammatory response, and intestinal dysbiosis in Salmonella Typhimurium-infected mice. Results showed that GL or gentamicin (GM) significantly (P < 0.05) alleviated ST-induced splenomegaly indicated by the decreased spleen index, injury of liver and jejunum indicated by the decreased hepatocytic apoptosis, and the increased jejunal villous height. GL significantly (P < 0.05) increased secretion of inflammatory cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-12p70, IL-6, and IL-10) in spleen and IL-12p40 mRNA expression in liver. Meanwhile, GL or GM pre-infection treatments significantly (P < 0.05) decreased ST-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine (IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-6) expression in both spleen and liver and increased (P < 0.05) anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 secretion in spleen. Furthermore, GL or GM pre-infection treatment also regulates the diversities and compositions of intestinal microbiota and decreased the negative connection among the intestinal microbes in ST-infected mice. The above findings indicate that GL alleviates ST-induced splenomegaly, hepatocytic apoptosis, injury of jejunum and liver, inflammatory response of liver and spleen, and intestinal dysbacteriosis in mice.

• Authors: Baikui Wang, Xiaolin Ye, Yuanhao Zhou, Pengwei Zhao, Yulong Mao
• Journal: Frontiers in veterinary science (Front Vet Sci) Vol. 8 Pg. 648698 ( 2021) ISSN: 2297-1769 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 34239908 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Wang, Ye, Zhou, Zhao and Mao.