The inhibitory effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus on p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway activation and the expression of interleukin-17A

Abstract

 

Several lines of evidence have demonstrated that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway regulates the immune cell response and programmed cell death and cell survival. Also, activation of p38-MAPK pathway participates in the pathophysiology of multiple sclerosis. In the present study, we examined the effect of Lactobacillus rhamnosus on the expression of p38-MAPK and interleukin-17A (IL-17A) in a murine model called experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Following the induction of EAE, the animals received Lactobacillus rhamnosus by gavage when the early clinical signs of EAE began to appear. Then the expression of p38-MAPK and IL-17A were analyzed by ELISA and real-time PCR methods, respectively. Administration of L. rhamnosus led to a noticeable reduction in the clinical score of EAE mice. Moreover, the phosphorylated form of p38-MAPK was significantly diminished in the spinal cord of EAE mice receiving L. rhamnosus when compared with EAE mice receiving no treatment (control group). L. rhamnosus lowered the expression of IL-17A in the spinal cord of EAE mice compared with the control group. Probiotics, such as L. rhamnosus, could be used as an alternative therapeutic option for alleviating neurological diseases in which the p38-MAPK signaling pathway is involved.