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Baicalin protects mice from infection with methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus via alleviating inflammatory response
Author(s) -
Shi Ting,
Li Tiantian,
Jiang Xinru,
Jiang Xin,
Zhang Qingwen,
Wang Yuli,
Zhang Yaxing,
Wang Lixin,
Qin Xiangyang,
Zhang Weidong,
Zheng Yuejuan
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of leukocyte biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.819
H-Index - 191
eISSN - 1938-3673
pISSN - 0741-5400
DOI - 10.1002/jlb.3ab0820-576rrr
Subject(s) - staphylococcus aureus , sepsis , methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus , antibiotics , vancomycin , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , staphylococcal infections , biology , tumor necrosis factor alpha , medicine , pharmacology , bacteria , genetics
Sepsis was redefined as life‐threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection in 2016. One of its most common causes is Staphylococcus aureus , especially methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which leads to a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. Therefore, innovative and effective approaches to combat MRSA infection are urgently needed. Recently, host‐directed therapy (HDT) has become a new strategy in the treatment of infectious diseases, especially those caused by antibiotic‐resistant bacteria. Baicalin (BAI) is the predominant flavonoid and bioactive compound isolated from the roots of Radix Scutellariae (Huang Qin), a kind of traditional Chinese medicine. It has been reported that BAI exhibits multiple biological properties such as anti‐oxidant, antitumor, and anti‐inflammatory activities. However, the therapeutic role of BAI in MRSA infection is still unknown. In this study, it is found that BAI treatment inhibited the production of IL‐6, TNF‐α, and other cytokines from MRSA‐ or bacterial mimics‐stimulated Mϕs and dendritic cells (DCs). BAI played an anti‐inflammatory role by inhibiting the activation of ERK, JNK MAPK, and NF‐κB pathways. Moreover, the serum level of TNF‐α was decreased, whereas IL‐10 was increased, in mice injected with MRSA. Furthermore, the bacterial load in livers and kidneys were further decreased by the combination of BAI and vancomycin (VAN), which might account for the amelioration of tissue damage. BAI reduced the high mortality rate caused by MRSA infection. Collectively, the results suggested that BAI may be a viable candidate of HDT strategy against severe sepsis caused by antibiotic‐resistant bacteria such as MRSA.