• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1310-1317
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• 2018

The stems of Dendrobium moniliforme have been used in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of fever and lack of body fluid in Korea. In this study, we investigated anti-inflammatory effects of the aqueous extract of D. moniliforme stems (DM) in response to lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a major constituent of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria. DM inhibited LTA-induced expression of a pro-inflammatory mediator inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the murine macrophages. And DM induced expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) at the transcriptional level. Conversely, the knockdown of HO-1 expression by siRNA markedly reversed the inhibitory effects of DM on LTA-induced iNOS expression. We also demonstrated that nuclear translocation of Nrf2 was increased following treatment with DM. In addition, DM-mediated Nrf2 activation and HO-1 expression were suppressed by PI3K/Akt and p38 inhibitors; treatment with DM also resulted in phosphorylation of Akt and p38. These results suggest that DM inhibits the expression of iNOS in LTA-stimulated macrophages, and that these effects are mediated by the upregulation of HO-1 expression via PI3K/Akt/p38-Nrf2 signaling.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 2009

Spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) are an established model of genetic hypertension. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from SHR proliferate faster than those of control rats (Wistar-Kyoto rats; WKY). We tested the hypothesis that induction of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 induced by aprotinin inhibits VSMC proliferation through cell cycle arrest in hypertensive rats. Aprotinin treatment inhibited VSMC proliferation in SHR more than in normotensive rats. These inhibitory effects were associated with cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Tin protoporphyrin IX (SnPPIX) reversed the anti-proliferative effect of aprotinin in VSMC from SHR. The level of cyclin D was higher in VSMC of SHR than those of WKY. Aprotinin treatment downregulated the cell cycle regulator, cyclin D, but upregulated the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21, in VSMC of SHR. Aprotinin induced HO-1 in VSMC of SHR, but not in those of control rats. Furthermore, aprotinin-induced HO-1 inhibited VSMC proliferation of SHR. Consistently, VSMC proliferation in SHR was significantly inhibited by transfection with the HO-1 gene. These results indicate that induction of HO-1 by aprotinin inhibits VSMC proliferation through cell cycle arrest in hypertensive rats.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.190-195
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• 2010

Glutamate-induced oxidative injury contributes to neuronal degeneration in many central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy and ischemia. Inducible heme oxygenase (HO)-1 acts against oxidants that are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of these diseases. NNMBS098, a composition comprising the water insoluble of the 70% EtOH extract of Zingiberis Rhizoma, showed the potent neuroprotective effects on glutamateinduced neurotoxicity by induced the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 and increased HO activity in the mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. Furthermore, NNMBS098 caused the nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. In addition, we found that treatment with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) reduced NNMBS098-induced HO-1 expression and NNMBS098 also increased JNK phosphorylation. Therefore, these results suggest that NNMBS098 increases cellular resistance to glutamate-induced oxidative injury in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells, presumably through JNK pathway-Nrf2-dependent HO-1 expression.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.8-14
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• 2017

Died Gardenia jasminoides fruit is used as a dye in the food and clothes industries in Asia. The present study investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of aqueous extract of G. jasminoides fruits (GJ) in BV-2 microglial cells. GJ inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide (NO) secretion, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression, and reactive oxygen species production, without affecting cell viability. Furthermore, GJ increased the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of GJ on iNOS expression was abrogated by small interfering RNA-mediated knock-down of HO-1. In addition, GJ induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates HO-1 expression. GJ-mediated expression of HO-1 was suppressed by LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI-3K) inhibitor, and SB203580, a p38 kinase inhibitor, but not by the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor PD98059 or c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125. GJ also enhanced the phosphorylation of Akt and p38. These results suggest that GJ suppresses the production of NO, a pro-inflammatory mediator, by inducing HO-1 expression via PI-3K/Akt/p38 signaling. These findings illustrate a novel molecular mechanism by which extract from G. jasminoides fruits inhibits neuroinflammation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.976-983
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• 2015

Achyranthoside C dimethyl ester (ACDE) is an oleanolic acid glycoside from Achyranthes japonica which has been used in traditional medicine for the treatment of edema and arthritis. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of ACDE in RAW264.7 macrophages. ACDE significantly induced heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene expression in RAW264.7 cells, while ACDE improved LPS-induced toxicity of cells. And ACDE induced nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), a transcription factor that regulates HO-1 expression. Further study demonstrated that ACDE-induced expression of HO-1 was inhibited by inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K) (LY294002), c-Jun kinase (JNK) (SP600125), extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) (PD98059) and p38 kinase (SB203580). Moreover, ACDE phosphorylated Akt, JNK, ERK, and p38 MAPK. In addition, ACDE inhibited LPS-induced NO secretion as well as inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effects of ACDE on iNOS expression were abrogated by small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knock-down of HO-1. Therefore, these results suggest that ACDE suppresses the production of pro-inflammatory mediator such as NO by inducing HO-1 expression via PI-3K/Akt/MAPK-Nrf2 signaling pathway. These findings could help us to understand the active principle included in the roots of A. japonica and the molecular mechanisms underlying anti-inflammatory action of ACDE.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.116-122
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• 2015

Keratinocytes are first barrier against outer challenges on skin. However, it is still largely unknown about effective protectors against ultraviolet B (UVB), and oxidative stress in human keratinocyte, HaCaT cells. Inducible heme oxygenase (HO)-1 acts against oxidants that are thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of skin disorders. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of Portulaca oleracea 70% EtOH extracts against hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced oxidative stress in human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. P. oleracea 70% EtOH extracts showed the potent protective effects on H₂O₂-induced toxicity by induced the expression of HO-1 in human keratinocyte, HaCaT cells. Furthermore, P. oleracea 70 % EtOH extracts caused the nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in human keratinocytes, HaCaT cells. In addition, we found that treatment with c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) reduced P. oleracea 70% EtOH extracts-induced HO-1 expression, and JNK inhibitor (SP600125) also inhibited protective effects by P. oleracea 70% EtOH extracts. Therefore, these results suggest that P. oleracea 70 % EtOH extracts increases cellular resistance to H₂O₂-induced oxidative injury in human keratinocyte, HaCaT cells, presumably through JNK pathway-Nrf2-dependent HO-1 expression.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2012

Objectives : The gnarl of Pinus densiflora, called Songjeol in Korea, has been used as a medicinal herb for the treatment of inflammatory-related diseases such as arthralgia, myalgia and bruise. However, the molecular actions and mechanisms have not been clearly investigated. The aim of this study was to clarify the anti-inflammatory activity of Pinus densiflora gnarl pharmacopuncture (PDGP) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Methods : Cytotoxicity was assessed by XTT assay. The amount of nitric oxide (NO) production was determined by nitrite assay. The mRNA expressions of interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), interleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) were analyzed by RT-PCR. Reactive oxidative species (ROS) generation was measured using the fluorescence microscopy. In addition, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and redox factor-1 (Ref-1) protein expressions were detected by Western blotting. Results : PDGP inhibited NO production and ROS generation in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. At the mRNA level, PDGP suppressed IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and COX-2 expression. On the other hand, PDGP induced HO-1 mRNA expression. Furthermore, PDGP suppressed iNOS and Ref-1 protein expression. Conclusions : This result suggests that PDGP can act as a suppressor agent on NO and iNOS through induction of HO-1, and play an useful role in blocking inflammatory responses.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2014

The fruit of Tribulus terrestris L. (Zygophyllaceae) is an important source of traditional Korean and Chinese medicines. In this study, NNMBS223, consisting of the ethanol extract of T. terrestris, showed potent anti-inflammatory activities in RAW264.7 macrophages. We investigated the effect of NNMBS223 in suppressing the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and production of iNOS-derived nitric oxide (NO), COX-2-derived prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. In addition, NNMBS223 induced expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 through nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in macrophages. The effects of NNMBS223 on LPS-induced production of NO and PGE2 were partially reversed by the HO activity inhibitor tin protoporphyrin (SnPP). These findings suggest that Nrf2-dependent increases in expression of HO-1 induced by NNMBS223 conferred anti-inflammatory activities in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.316-322
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• 2012

Siegesbeckia Herba is known to have anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and anti-tumor. The objective of this study is to explore the neuroprotective effect of Siegesbeckia Herba against glutamate-induced oxidative stress in mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. Siegesbeckia Herba 70% ethanol extract and solvent fractions have the potent neroprotective effects on glutamate-induced nerotoxicity by induced the expression of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in the mouse hippocampal HT22 cells. Especially, ethyl acetate fraction showed higher protective effect. In HT22 cell, Siegesbeckia Herba ethyl acetate fraction makes the nuclear accumulation of Nrf2. Further, we found that treatment with c-JUN N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125) reduced Siegesbeckia Herba ethyl acetate fraction induced HO-1 expression and Siegesbeckia Herba ethyl acetate fraction also increased JNK phosphorylation. In conclusion, the ethyl acetate fraction of 70% ethanol extract of Siegesbeckia Herba significantly protect glutamate-induced oxidative damage by induction of HO-1 via Nrf2 and JNK pathway in mouse hippocampal HT22. Taken together these finding suggest that Siegesbeckia Herba ethyl acetate fraction good source for taking active compounds and may be a potential therapeutic for brain disorder by targeting the oxidative stress of neuronal cell.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1485-1492
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• 2008

Prostaglandin $A_2$ ($PGA_2$), one of cyclopentenone PGs, induced both apoptosis and heme oxygenase (HO)-1 expression in U2OS cells. $PGA_2$-induced apoptosis was not perturbed by either over-expression or knock-down of HO-1, whereas $H_2O_2$-induced cell death was inversely modulated by the expression level of HO-1. In addition, N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a thiol antioxidant, blocked both apoptosis and HO-1 expression induced by $PGA_2$. But, non-thiol antioxidants like butylated hydorxyanisole (BHA) and ascorbic acid did not block either apoptosis or HO-1-induction. Taken together, these results suggest that $PGA_2$ induces both apoptosis and HO-1 expression, which are critically related to the thiol- reactivity of $PGA_2$, but not oxidative stress, and HO-1 expression may be independent or functionally located downstream of apoptosis by $PGA_2$ without contribution to apoptosis progression.