On the other hand, we revealed baicalein inhibited neutrophil infiltration and MPO activity in the infected corneal epithelium and stroma, indicating baicalein could attenuate
A. fumigatus keratitis–induced inflammatory response. Neutrophil infiltration is known to be essential in innate response against fungal infection,
50 promoting the release of various cytokines and chemokines to further attract immune cells to eliminate pathogens. However, the large number of proinflammatory factors and toxic substances released by neutrophils may result in continuous inflammation that causes cornea damage, even vision loss.
51 Thus, limiting the excessive inflammatory response is of significance for FK treatment. In the present study, we showed that baicalein treatment markedly mitigated the severity of FK in mice by reducing the ulcer area and corneal opacity, making corneas more transparent, which suggested baicalein may improve the prognosis of FK not only through inhibiting fungal load, but also via suppressing inflammatory response. Baicalein has been demonstrated to possess an anti-inflammatory effect in diverse diseases via various mechanisms.
52–54 For instance, baicalein inhibited LPS-enhanced neutrophil infiltration and MPO activity to protect rats from acute lung injury.
53 Moreover, baicalein alleviated acute pancreatitis–caused pathological injury through dampening the NF-κB, MAPK, and STAT3 signaling pathways.
55 Chen et al. reported that baicalein treatment improved histological and functional outcomes of traumatic brain injury by reducing the induction of proinflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in rats.
56 Baicalein also inhibited vascular abnormality and neuron loss in diabetic retinas through ameliorating the expression of inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-18.
54 In this study, we showed baicalein suppressed the mRNA and protein expression of proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in
A. fumigatus–infected mouse corneas and HCECs, which further elucidated the anti-inflammatory activity of baicalein in FK.