Immune and microRNA responses to<i>Helicobacter muridarum</i>infection and indole-3-carbinol during colitis
Rasha Raheem Alkarkoushi, Yvonne Hui, Abbas Tavakoli, Udai P. Singh, Prakash Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti, Ioulia Chatzistamou, Marpe Bam, Traci L. Testerman
Abstract
BACKGROUND: (EHH) species are associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease, but little is known about how these species affect the immune system or response to treatment. AIM: To determine whether infection with an EHH species alters the response to I3C and how the immune and miRNA responses of an EHH species compare with responses to DSS and inflammatory bowel disease. METHODS: ), with and without DSS and I3C treatment. Pathological responses were evaluated by histological examination, symptom scores, and cytokine responses. MiRNAs analysis was performed on mesenteric lymph nodes to further evaluate the regional immune response. RESULTS: infection did not prevent disease amelioration by I3C. I3C normalized both macrophage- and T cell-associated cytokines. CONCLUSION: Thus, I3C may be useful for inflammatory bowel disease patients regardless of EHH infection. The miRNA changes associated with I3C treatment are likely the result of, rather than the cause of immune response changes.