基于Tfh细胞探讨中医药治疗炎症性肠病的新策略

New Strategy of Tradictional Chinese Medince Based on Tfh Cells to Treat IBD

炎症性肠病是一种涉及环境、遗传、微生物和免疫等多种因素的慢性复发性肠道疾病。目前的西药治疗药物疗效差、副作用大、价格昂贵,中医药凸显出了其独特的优势。滤泡辅助性T细胞(Follicular helper T cells,Tfh细胞)是当前免疫学领域的研究热点,其分化与功能异常可导致包括炎症性肠病在内的自身免疫性疾病的发生。大量的证据表明中医药复方及中药有效组分可通过调控Tfh细胞的数量水平、Tfh细胞与滤泡调节性T细胞(Follicular regulatory T cells,Tfr细胞)的平衡、Tfh细胞功能蛋白分子等途径治疗实验性结肠炎。该文就Tfh细胞与炎症性肠病的关系、中医药调控Tfh细胞治疗炎症性肠病的机制作一综述,为从Tfh细胞角度探索中医药治疗炎症性肠病奠定了科学的基础。在中医药的干预下,Tfh细胞数量水平及功能的改善将有望成为中医药治疗炎症性肠病的新策略。

Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)is a chronic and recurrent intestinal disease involving environmental,genetic,microbial,immune and other factors.Currently,western medicine has poor efficacy,large side effects and high price.Chinese medicine has highlighted its unique advantages.Follicular helper T cells(Tfh cells)are the focus of research in the field of immunology.The abnormal differentiation and function of Tfh cells can lead to autoimmune diseases,including inflammatory bowel disease.A great deal of evidence has showed that the compound prescription of Chinese medicine and its effective components can treat experimental colitis by regulating the number of Tfh cells,the balance between Tfh cells and follicular regulatory T cells(Tfr cells),and functional protein molecules of Tfh cells.This article reviews the relationship between Tfh cells and inflammatory bowel disease and the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine regulating Tfh cells in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.To lay the scientific foundation for exploring the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease with traditional Chinese medicine from the perspective of Tfh cells.With the intervention of traditional Chinese medicine,the improvement of the number and function of Tfh cells will be expected to become a new strategy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.