• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.36-48
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate anti-inflammatory effect and immune responses of aqueous extract from Fructus Chaenomelis (FC). Methods: We studied anti-inflammatory effect by means of examining the production of NO(nitric oxide) and expressions of pro-inflammatory cytokine (TNF-$\alpha$(tumor necrosis factor-alpha), IL(Interleukin)-6, IL-12) in the LPS-induced peritoneal macrophages of mice. Also, The western blot analysis has been done to look into the mechanism of anti-inflammatory effect. Results: 1. The FC extract did not have any cytotoxicity in the peritoneal macrophages. 2. The FC extract inhibits the productions of NO, IL-6. IL-12 in the LPS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages of mice, but not of TNF-$\alpha$. 3. The FC extract inhibits the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$(nuclear factor-kappa B) by keeping $I{\kappa}B-\alpha$(inhibitory kappa B-alpha) from degradating, but not of MAPKs(mitogen-activated protein kinases) such as ERK(extracelluar signa 1-regulated kinase), JNK(c-Jun N-terminal kinase), p38. Conclusion: These results show that FC extract inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6. IL-12. NO by inhibiting NF-${\kappa}B$ activation in the peritoneal macrophages of mice. In conclusion, this experiment suggests that FC extract may be effective for the treatment of acute and chronic inflammation including genitourinary infection.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.58-65
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• 2023

Pu-erh tea, a popular and traditional Chinese tea, possesses various health-promoting effects, including inhibiting tumor cell progression and preventing type II diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders. However, the precise anti-inflammatory mechanisms are not well understood. In present study, we elucidated the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Pu-erh tea in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated RAW264.7 cells. We explored the effects of Pu-erh tea on the levels of inflammatory-related genes, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) in LPS-activated RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, we investigated its regulatory effects on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF)-κB and hypoxia-inducible-factor (HIF)-1α activation. The findings of this study demonstrated that Pu-erh tea inhibited the LPS-increased inflammatory cytokines and PGE₂ release, as well as COX-2 and iNOS expression. Moreover, we confirmed that the anti-inflammatory mechanism of Pu-erh tea occurs via the inhibition of NF-κB and HIF-1α activation. Conclusively, these findings provide experimental evidence that Pu-erh tea may be useful candidate in the treatment of inflammatory-related diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.442-452
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to investigate the toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 mediated anti-inflammatory effects of extract from Shigyungbanha-tang (SBT) on the peritoneal macrophage. Methods : To evaluate of TLR-4 mediated inflammatory of SBT. we examined NO and cytokine production in TRL-4 ligand (LPS : lipopolysaccharide) induced macrophages. Furthermore, we examined its molecular mechanism using western blot. Results : Extract from SBT itself does not have any cytotoxic effect in the peritoneal macrophages. Extract from SBT reduced LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO). tumor necrosis factor-alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-12 production in peritoneal macrophages. SBT inhibited degradation of inhibitor kappa B-alpha ($I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$) in the TLR-4 mediated peritoneal macrophages. Conclusions : These results suggest that SBT inhibits NO and cytokines production through inhibiting nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-${\kappa}$B) activation in peritoneal macrophage and that SBT may be beneficial oriental medicine for inflammation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.12
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• pp.899-906
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• 2014

Prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$) promotes tumor-persistent inflammation, frequently resulting in cancer. Curcumin is a diphenolic turmeric that inhibits carcinogenesis and induces apoptosis. $PGE_2$ inhibits curcumin-induced apoptosis; however, the underlying inhibitory mechanisms in colon cancer cells remain unknown. The aim of the present study is to investigate the survival role of $PGE_2$ and whether addition of exogenous $PGE_2$ affects curcumininduced cell death. HCT-15 cells were treated with curcumin and $PGE_2$, and protein expression levels were investigated via Western blot. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, lipid peroxidation, and intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels were confirmed using specific dyes. The nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) DNA-binding was measured by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). $PGE_2$ inhibited curcumin-induced apoptosis by suppressing oxidative stress and degradation of PARP and lamin B. However, exposure of cells to the EP2 receptor antagonist, AH6809, and the PKA inhibitor, H89, before treatment with $PGE_2$ or curcumin abolished the protective effect of $PGE_2$ and enhanced curcumin-induced cell death. $PGE_2$ activates PKA, which is required for cAMP-mediated transcriptional activation of CREB. $PGE_2$ also activated the Ras/Raf/Erk pathway, and pretreatment with PD98059 abolished the protective effect of $PGE_2$. Furthermore, curcumin treatment greatly reduced phosphorylation of CREB, followed by a concomitant reduction of $NF-{\kappa}B$ (p50 and p65) subunit activation. $PGE_2$ markedly activated nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$. EMSA confirmed the DNA-binding activities of $NF-{\kappa}B$ subunits. These results suggest that inhibition of curcumin-induced apoptosis by $PGE_2$ through activation of PKA, Ras, and $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathways may provide a molecular basis for the reversal of curcumin-induced colon carcinoma cell death.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2017

PDK1 is essential for T cell receptor (TCR)-mediated activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$, and PDK1-induced phosphorylation of $PKC{\theta}$ is important for TCR-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. However, inverse regulation of PDK1 by $PKC{\theta}$ during T cell activation has not been investigated. In this study, we found that $PKC{\theta}$ is involved in human PDK1 phosphorylation and that its kinase activity is crucial for human PDK1 phosphorylation. Mass spectrometry analysis of wild-type $PKC{\theta}$ or of kinase-inactive form of $PKC{\theta}$ revealed that $PKC{\theta}$ induced phosphorylation of human PDK1 at Ser-64. This $PKC{\theta}$-induced PDK1 phosphorylation positively regulated T cell activation and TCR-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Moreover, phosphorylation of human PDK1 at Ser-64 increased the stability of human PDK1 protein. These results suggest that Ser-64 is an important phosphorylation site that is part of a positive feedback loop for human PDK1-$PKC{\theta}$-mediated T cell activation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.275-280
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• 2010

Sulforaphane is a naturally occurring member of the iosothiocyanate family, which reveals chemopreventive capacities including anti-cancer, anti-inflammation and inhibition of MMP-9 activities. In this study, we investigated the effect of sulforaphane on the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced Raw 264.7 cells. Sulforaphane strikingly suppressed the LPS-induced MMP-9 activity and mRNA expression in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, sulforaphane inhibited not only the LPS-induced MMP-9 promoter activity but also LPS-mediated activator protein-1 (AP-1) and nuclear factor-kB (NF-${\kappa}B$) promoter activity. Transient transfection by MMP-9 constructs, in which specific transcriptional factors were mutagenized, indicated that the effects of LPS and sulforaphane were mediated via AP-1 and NF-${\kappa}B$ response elements. We found that sulforaphane had the ability to suppress LPS-induced invasion in vitro. Taken together, these results demonstrated that sulforaphane effectively suppressed LPS-induced MMP-9 expression via modulation of promoter elements (AP-1 and NF-${\kappa}B$) in MMP-9 transcriptional activation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.146-152
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• 2013

This study examined the total polyphenol content of eight wild edible plants from Ethiopia and their effect on NO production in Raw264.7 cells. Owing to its relatively high polyphenol concentration and inhibition of NO production, the methanol extract of Adansonia digitata L. leaf (MEAD) was subjected to detailed evaluation of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Antioxidant effects were assessed by measuring free-radical-scavenging activity using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and oxygen-radical-absorbance capacity (ORAC) assays, while anti-inflammatory effects were assessed by measuring inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In the ORAC assay, MEAD was 10.2 times more potent than vitamin C at eliminating peroxyl radicals. In DPPH assay, MEAD also showed a strong ROS scavenging effect. MEAD significantly inhibited iNOS activity ($IC_{50}=28.6{\mu}g/ml$) of LPS-stimulated Raw264.7 cells. We also investigated the relationship between iNOS expression and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-${\kappa}B$) activation. MEAD inhibited $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ degradation and NF-${\kappa}B$ translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells without significant cytotoxic effects, as confirmed by MTT assay. These results suggest that MEAD inhibits anti-inflammatory iNOS expression, which might be related to the elimination of peroxyl radicals and thus the inhibition of $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$-mediated NF-${\kappa}B$ signal transduction.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.873-878
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• 2017

We previously reported that NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1)-knockout (KO) mice exhibited spontaneous inflammation in the gut. We also found that NQO1-KO mice showed highly increased inflammatory responses compared with NQO1-WT control mice when subjected to DSS-induced experimental colitis. In a Clostridium difficile toxin-induced mouse enteritis model, NQO1-KO mice were also sensitive compared with NQO1-WT mice. Moreover, numerous studies have shown that NQO1 is functionally associated with immune regulation. Here, we assessed whether NQO1 defects can alter macrophage activation. We found that peritoneal macrophages isolated from NQO1-KO mice produced more IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ than those isolated from NQO1-WT mice. Moreover, the dicumarol-induced inhibition of NQO1 significantly increased IL-6 and $TNF-{\alpha}$ production in peritoneal macrophages isolated from NQO1-WT mice, as well as in the cultured mouse macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. These results indicate that NQO1 may negatively regulate the activation of macrophages. Knockout or chemical inhibition of NQO1 markedly reduced the expression of $I{\kappa}B$ (inhibitor of $NF{\kappa}B$) in both mouse peritoneal macrophages and RAW264.7 cells. Finally, RAW264.7 cells treated with dicumarol exhibited morphological changes reflecting macrophage activation. Our results suggest that NQO1 may suppress the $NF{\kappa}B$ pathways in macrophages, thereby suppressing the activation of these cells. Thus, immunosuppressive activity may be among the many possible functions of NQO1.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.421-431
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of Ulmus davidiana on the generation of peroxynitrite $(ONOO^{-})$, nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide anion radicals $(O_{2}^{-})$ in the endothelial cells of rat vessels. The effects of Ulmus davidiana on the expression of inflammation-related proteins, $NF-{\kappa}B$ (p50, p65), COX-2, and iNOS, were examined by western blotting. Methods : For this study, fluorescent probes, namely dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR 123), 4,5-diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) and 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA) were used. Western blotting was performed via using anti-$NF-{\kappa}B$ (p50, p65), anti-COX-2, and anti-iNOS, respectively. Results : Ulmus davidiana inhibited the generation of $ONOO^{-}$, NO and $(O_{2}^{-})$ in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated endothelial cells of rat vessels in vitro. Ulmus davidiana inhibited the expression of COX-2 and iNOS genes by means of decreasing the $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation. Conclusions : These results suggest Ulmus davidiana is effective on inhibiting the generation of $ONOO^{-}$, NO and $O_{2}^{-}$, and that therefore it might have a potential role as a treatment for the inflammatory process and inflammation-related diseases.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.288-297
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• 2009

Objective : Inflammatory cytokines have a close relationship to insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). The inhibitory effect of Smilacis Glabrae Rhizoma (SGR) were examined on production of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin $E_2$ $(PGE_2)$, synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) and NF-${\kappa}$B activation in Raw 264.7 cells. Methods: Raw 264.7 cells were pretreated with SGR(20, 50, 100 ${\mu}g$/ml), and then cultured with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Cell viability was measured by MTT assay; inhibition of NO, $PGE_2$, and TNF-${\alpha}$ production were measured by Griess reagent and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Induction of COX-2 and iNOS were determined by western blotting analysis. Inhibition of NF-${\kappa}$B was measured by immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Results: SGR inactivated NF-${\kappa}$B, and inhibited the production of NO, iNOS, and $PGE_2$. Inhibition of COX-2 and TNF-${\alpha}$ could not be confirmed. Conclusions: From the above result. SGR was found to have an anti-inflammatory effect of inhibition of NO, iNOS, and $PGE_2$ production via inhibition of NF-${\kappa}$B.