Background and aims The aim of this study is to assess the effect of curcumin treatment on the clinical manifestations, Th-cells subsets/Treg percentages, pro-inflammatory cytokines and autoantibody production of pristane induced lupus mice.

Methods Forty female Balb/c mice ( 6–8 weeks of age with body weight 30–50 gram ) were single injected with pristane intraperitoneally for lupus induction. The mice were assigned to 3 groups treated with 3 different doses of curcumin given 12.5 mg/, 50 mg/, and 200 mg/kgBW/day. One group of mice as control was not tretaed with curcumin . The mice were monitored for clinical manifestations ( arthritis score, proteinuria, and body weight ). After 32 weeks post injection, the spleens were taken and assayed for Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg percentages using flow cytometry. Serum was collected for ANA, IL-6, and IFN-α measurement by ELISA.

Results Arthritis score was lower in all groups treated with curcumin (p=0.000). However, proteinuria and body weights were not statistically different between all groups of mice. ANA levels decreased significantly after treatment with 200 mg/kgBW/day of curcumin (p=0.024). The decreased of Th1, Th2, and Th17 percentages were also seen after treatment of 200 mg/kgBW/day of curcumin (p=0.043, p=0.026, and p=0.009); however, only slight increase of Treg percentages was seen. Treatment with 200 mg/kgBW/day of curcumin decreased serum IL-6 and IFN-α levels (p=0.012 and p=0.003).

Conclusions Curcumin protects manifestation of arthritis in pristane induced lupus mice and ANA production, modulating Th-cell subsets, and inhibiting production of proinflammatory cytokines