Nanocurcumin improves regulatory T-cell frequency and function in patients with multiple sclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Multiple sclerosis is a chronic incapacitating disease of the central nervous system, it has been reported that the disturbance in the development and function of Treg subpopulations is associated with the disability status in the RRMS. Accordingly, in the current study, the objective was to specify nanocurcumin effects on Treg cells frequency, and function in patients with RRMS.

METHODS AND MATERIALS: 50 patients with RRMS were enrolled in this study in which 25 were treated for at least six months with nanocurcumin capsules while the other half received placebo capsules as the control group. The blood sample was collected prior to the administration of nanocurcumin and placebo capsules and following six months. At baseline and after a six-month treatment, the frequency of Treg lymphocytes, the expression of transcription factor related to these cells and the secretion levels of cytokines were assessed by flowcytometry, real-time PCR and ELISA, respectively.

RESULTS: A significant reduction was observed in the proportion of peripheral Treg cell frequency, and the levels of TGF-β, IL-10 and FoxP3 expression in patients with RRMS. Our data revealed that the frequency of Treg cells (p = .0027), the expression of FoxP3 (p = .0005), TGF-β (p = .0005), and IL-10 (p = .0002) and the secretion levels of the TGF-β (p = .033), and IL-10 (p = .029) in cultured PBMCs are increased in nanocurcumin-treated group compared to placebo group.

CONCLUSION: The results of the current work indicated that nanocurcumin is capable of restoring the frequency and function of Treg cells in MS patients.