Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing inflammation afflicting any part of the bowel wall as a result of a deregulated and inappropriate immune response. In recent years, experimental and clinical evidence has demonstrated that infection with parasitic worms could protect hosts from IBD. The aims of this study were to determine if the underlying mechanism of the host immune regulation inherent to Trichinella spiralis infection involves Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells, and to gain insight about time-related interactions between intestinal nematode infection and induced colitis using an experimental model for ulcerative colitis. Mice were experimentally subjected to acetic acid-induced colitis, which was either preceded or followed by T. spiralis infection. Assessment of colitis was done by histopathological examination of the colon and determination of pentraxin 3 levels. Immunohistochemistry was done for demonstration of Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells in colonic tissues. It was evident that T. spiralis infection ameliorated the severe inflammation induced by acetic acid, evidenced by amelioration of histopathological changes and diminution of pentraxin 3 levels. The amelioration was more pronounced when T. spiralis infection preceded the induction of colitis. Regarding the immunohistochemical staining of regulatory T cells, T. spiralis infection induced recruitment of Foxp3-expressing regulatory T cells to areas of inflammation. In conclusion, T. spiralis regulatory mechanism can improve inflammation of the colon through the ‘inflammatory–regulatory’ axis. Finally, it would be of great importance to apply these results to the development of new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of berberine (BBR) against D-galactose (D-gal)-induced renal aging in rats, pointing to its ability to modulate phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN)/Akt signalling, and to attenuate oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. Renal aging was induced by subcutaneous injection of D-gal for six consecutive weeks along with simultaneous oral administration of BBR and compared to control rats and rats received individual doses of either drug. BBR treatment significantly reduced the serum levels of urea and creatinine, retrieved the alterations in kidney histopathology, and restored redox balance evidenced by alleviations of the level of malondialdehyde, 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine and activating heme oxygenase-1 enzyme. Moreover, it markedly reduced the serum levels of pro-inflammatory mediators, along with down-regulation of PTEN expression, enhanced Akt activity, as well as significantly higher immunostaining of the anti-apoptotic marker (Bcl-2). These findings hold a great promise for the use of BBR as a protecting agent against renal aging.