Wogonin attenuates neutrophilic inflammation and airway smooth muscle proliferation through inducing caspase-dependent apoptosis and inhibiting MAPK/Akt signaling in allergic airways

Background Severe neutrophilic asthma is often characterized by persistent airway inflammation and irreversible airway remodeling, which are overstimulated by the high-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1). Although wogonin, an O-methylated flavone, has been widely used to treat inflammatory and allergic diseases, its therapeutic effects and potential mechanisms on severe neutrophilic asthma remain elusive. Objective To evaluate whether wogonin alleviates airway neutrophilia through inducing neutrophil apoptosis and attenuates airway smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) proliferation and migration. Methods The effect of wogonin on reducing neutrophilic airway inflammation, including neutrophil infiltration and inflammatory mediators, was examined in a mouse model of severe neutrophilic asthma sensitized with ovalbumin and lipopolysaccharide. Also, the effect of wogonin on inducing human neutrophil apoptosis was manifested using cellular morphology, flow cytometry, and caspase inhibition assays. Furthermore, the effect of wogonin on inhibiting HMGB1-mediated ASMCs proliferation and migration was determined. Results Wogonin reduced the frequency of neutrophils and inhibited the production of multiple inflammatory mediators, including ovalbumin-specific IgE, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and HMGB1, in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and lung tissues of the neutrophilic asthmatic mouse model. These data strongly support a significantly suppressed neutrophilic airway inflammation, functionally consistent to the relieved airway hyperresponsiveness by wogonin in vivo. Wogonin induced human neutrophil apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner by activating caspase-8 and caspase-3 in vitro. Wogonin pretreatment abolished HMGB1-induced ASMCs proliferation and migration, which can be explained by the inhibition of phosphorylation in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) /Akt singling pathways. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that wogonin augments caspase-dependent apoptosis in neutrophils to alleviate neutrophilic inflammatory responses and regulates intracellular signaling to inhibit HMGB1-mediated ASMCs activation, providing a promising therapeutic agent for severe neutrophilic asthma.