• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.28-35
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• 2018

Pulegone is a naturally occurring organic compound obtained from essential oils from a variety of plants. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects through the inhibitory mechanism of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX-2), nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathways and the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/ heme oxygenase (HO)-1 pathways in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. Results revealed that pulegone significantly inhibited NO production as well as iNOS and COX-2 expressions. Meanwhile, western blot analysis showed that pulegone down-regulated LPS-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPKs activation in RAW 264.7 cells. Furthermore, the selected compound suppressed LPS-induced intracellular ROS production in RAW 264.7 cells, while the expression of stress response gene, HO-1, and its transcriptional activator, Nrf-2 was upregulated upon pulegone treatment. Taking together, these findings provided that pulegone inhibited the LPS-induced expression of inflammatory mediators via the down-regulation iNOS, COX-2, $NF-{\kappa}B$, and MAPKs signaling pathways as well as up-regulation of Nrf-2/HO-1 indicating that pulegone has a potential therapeutic and preventive application in various inflammatory diseases.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.307-311
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• 2001

The activation of NF-$\kappa$B induced by kojic Acid, an inhibitor of tyrosinase for biosynthesis of melanin in melanocytes, was investigated in human transfectant HaCaT and SCC-13 cells. These two keratinocyte cell lines transfected with pNF-$\kappa$B-SEAP-NPT plasmid were used to determine the activation of NF-$\kappa$B. Transfectant cells release the secretory alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) as a transcription reporter in response to the NF-$\kappa$B activity and contain the neomycin phosphotransferase (NPT) gene for the dominant selective marker of geneticin resistance. NF-$\kappa$B activation was measured in the SEAP reporter gene assay using a fluorescence detection method. Kojic Acid showed the inhibition of cellular NF-$\kappa$B activity in both human keratinocyte transfectants. It could also downregulate the ultraviolet ray (UVR)-induced activation of NF-$\kappa$B expression in transfectant HaCaT cells. Moreover, the inhibitory activity of kojic Acid in transfectant HaCaT cells was found to be more potent than known antioxidants, e.g., vitamin C and N~acetyl-L-cysteine. These results indicate that kojic Acid is a potential inhibitor of NF-$\kappa$B activation in human keratinocytes, and suggest the hypothesis that NF-$\kappa$B activation may be involved in kojic Acid induced anti-melanogenic effect.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.67 no.6
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• pp.528-535
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• 2009

Background: Dust clouds blown by the wind from the arid deserts of Mongolia and Northeast China are known as Asian dust storms. Ambient particulate matter with a diameter <10 ${\mu}m$ ($PM_{10}$) is associated with the exacerbation of respiratory diseases and increased mortality of heart and lung disease patients. The fibrotic effects of $PM_{10}$ of Asian dust to pulmonary fibroblast cells are unknown. This study examined the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), TGF-${\beta}$, NF-${\kappa}B$, PDGF-$\alpha$ and Fibronectin in fibroblasts exposed to Asian dust particles. Methods: Air samples were collected using a high volume air sampler (Sibata model HV500F) with an air flow of 500 L/min for at least 6 hours. The MRC-5 cells were exposed to 0, 50 and 100 ${\mu}g/mL$ of $PM_{10}$ for 24 hours. ROS was detected by measuring the level of oxidized DCF using FACS. TGF-$\beta$, NF-${\kappa}B$, PDGF-$\alpha$ and fibronectin were detected by western blotting. Results: There was no increase in the ROS, TGF-$\beta$ and PDGF-$\alpha$ levels in the MRC-5 cells exposed to $PM_{10}$. The NF-${\kappa}B$ level was higher in the MRC-5 cells exposed to 50 and 100 ${\mu}g/mL$ of $PM_{10}$ for 24 hours. The fibronectin level in the MRC-5 cells after 24 hours incubation with 50 ${\mu}g/mL$ $PM_{10}$ was significantly higher than the control group ($PM_{10}$ 50 ${\mu}g/mL$ 113.27${\pm}$8.65 of control, p=0.005). Conclusion: $PM_{10}$ from Asian dust increases the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ and fibronectin expression in MRC-5 fibroblast cells.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.102-107
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• 2018

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play an important role for host defense against invading pathogens. The activation of TLRs signaling leads to the activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ and the expression of pro-inflammatory gene products such as cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). To evaluate the therapeutic potential of cardamonin, which is a naturally occurring chalcone from Alpinia species (zingiberaceous plant species), $NF-{\kappa}B$ activation and iNOS expression induced by MALP-2 (TLR2 and TLR6 agonist) or LPS (TLR4 agonist) were examined. Cardamonin inhibited the activation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ induced by MALP-2 or LPS. Cardamonin also suppressed the iNOS expression induced by MALP-2 or LPS. These results suggest that cardamonin has the specific mechanism for anti-inflammatory responses by regulating of TLRs signaling pathway.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.14-24
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• 2014

Hypoxia is one of the main reasons for islet apoptosis after transplantation as well as during isolation. In this study, we attempted to determine the potential usefulness of NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor for suppression of hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis as well as the relationship between IP-10 induction and ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis in hypoxia. To accomplish this, we cultured the mouse pancreatic ${\beta}$-cell line MIN6 in hypoxia (1% $O_2$). Among several examined chemokines, only IP-10 mRNA expression was induced under hypoxia, and this induced IP-10 expression was due to NF-${\kappa}B$ activity. Since a previous study suggested that IP-10 mediates ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis, we measured hypoxia-induced IP-10 protein and examined the effect of anti-IP-10 neutralizing Ab on hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis. However, IP-10 protein was not detected, and anti-IP-10 neutralizing Ab did not rescue hypoxia-induced MIN6 apoptosis, indicating that there is no relationship between hypoxia-induced IP-10 mRNA expression and hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis. Since it was still not clear if NF-${\kappa}B$ functions as an apoptotic or anti-apoptotic mediator in hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis, we examined possible involvement of NF-${\kappa}B$ in hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis. Treatment with 1 ${\mu}M$ NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor suppressed hypoxiainduced apoptosis by more than 50%, while 10 ${\mu}M$ AP-1 or 4 ${\mu}M$ NF-AT inhibitor did not, indicating involvement of NF-${\kappa}B$ in hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis. Overall, these results suggest that IP-10 is not involved in hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis, and that NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitor can be useful for ameliorating hypoxia-induced ${\beta}$-cell apoptosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.278-283
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• 2010

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) are important inflammation enzyme and severe up-nitric oxide (NO) production by this enzyme has been intricate with pathogenesis of atopy dermatitis. The present study was designed in order to determine whether Lonicera japonica could inhibit atopy dermatitis through modulation of iNOS by NF-${\kappa}B$ suppression. We found that IKK mRNA and iNOS mRNA expression in RAW 264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide dose-dependantly decreased by Lonicera japonica (0.4 - 1.0 mg/$m{\ell}$) and NO production decreased. The distribution of NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 and iNOS positive reacted cell in NC/Nga mice with atopy dermatitis were decreased by Lonicera japonica (45 mg/kg/day) and apoptosis were increased. These data likely indicate that Lonicera japonica may act as inflammatory regulator for atopy dermatitis through iNOS modulation by NF-${\kappa}B$B suppression and may be possible to develop useful agent for chemoprevention of NO intricate inflammatory diseases.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2018

Estragole is a naturally occurring phenylpropanoid obtained from essential oils found in a broad diversity of plants. Although the phenylpropanoids show many biological activities, clear regulation of the inflammatory signaling pathways has not yet been determined. Here, we scrutinized the anti-inflammatory effect of estragole. The anti-inflammatory effect of estragole was determined through the inhibitory mechanisms of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX-2), nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$), and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) pathways and the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2)/heme oxygenase (HO)-1 pathways in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Estragole significantly inhibited NO production, iNOS and COX-2 expression as well as LPS-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ and MAPK activation. Furthermore, estragole suppressed LPS-induced intracellular ROS production but up-regulated the stress response gene HO-1 via the activation of transcription factor Nrf-2. These findings demonstrate that estragole inhibits the LPS-induced expression of inflammatory mediators via the down-regulation of iNOS, COX-2, $NF-{\kappa}B$, and MAPK pathways, as well as the up-regulation of the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway, indicating that this phenylpropanoid has potential therapeutic and preventive applications in various inflammatory diseases.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.61-66
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• 2020

Nickel is a nutritionally essential trace element that plays an important role in the immune system of several animal species. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of nickel chloride on chemotactic activity of peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) and whether this effect is associated with interleukin (IL)-8 and a nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)-dependent pathway. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and PMNs were isolated by Percoll solution (Specific gravity; 1.080) and 1.5% dextran treatment, respectively. A modified Boyden chamber assay was used to measure the chemotactic activity of PMNs. The level of IL-8 in culture supernatant from PBMCs was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Both of PBMCs and PMNs exhibited a low viability when cultured with concentration of greater than 1,000 μM of nickel chloride for 24 h. Thus, nickel chloride was used at concentration of 500 μM, which preserved cell viability. Treatment with nickel did not directly affect the chemotactic activity of PMNs. However, the chemotactic activity of PMNs was remarkably increased by culture supernatant from PBMCs treated with nickel chloride (500 μM) for 24 h. Recombinant porcine IL-8 polyclonal antibody (pAb) neutralized the enhancing effect on the chemotactic activity of PMNs by culture supernatant from PBMCs treated with nickel and this culture supernatant had higher IL-8 levels than the culture supernatant from untreated PBMCs. In addition, n-tosyll-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), a NF-κB inhibitor, antagonized the enhancing effect on the chemotactic activity of PMNs by the culture supernatant from PBMCs treated with nickel. These results suggested that nickel stimulates porcine PBMCs to produce IL-8, which increases the chemotaxis of PMNs via NF-κB-dependent pathway.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.50-54
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• 2018

N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU) and N-nitroso-N-ethylurea (NEU), direct alkylating chemical mutagens and carcinogens, are shown to be the upregulators of cellular $NF-{\kappa}B$, regulating various genes that mediate tumorigenesis and carcinogenesis. Nitric oxide (NO), a toxic reactive radical gas, has been known to induce programmed cell death or apoptosis in various cells. Therefore, the assessment of NO production was examined to elucidate the possible contribution of NO release to the chemical carcinogenic potency of NMU and NEU in human skin cells. NMU and NEU did not alter the NO production, but they caused a significant downregulation of the NO generation on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production at concentrations ranging from $2{\sim}5{\mu}M$. The degree of downregulation of NO by NMU and NEU decreased up to 15% and 20%, respectively, compared to the control. These results demonstrate that the LPS-inducible keratinocytes NO synthase is involved in modulating carcinogenic potency by NMU and NEU, and the regulation of the cellular $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity by NMU and NEU is negatively correlated with the level of LPS-induced NO production in human skin cells. The findings of this study suggest the hypothesis that NMU and NEU-induced carcinogenesis may be associated with the downregulation of NO production, and the inducible NO may play an important role in NMU and NEU-induced carcinogenicity in human epidermal keratinocytes.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.431-436
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• 2020

In this study, diclofenac, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, was investigated for its potential effect on the gene expression and production of airway MUC5AC mucin. The human respiratory epithelial NCI-H292 cells were pretreated with diclofenac for 30 min and stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), for the following 24 h. The effect of diclofenac on PMA-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) signaling pathway was also investigated. Diclofenac suppressed the production and gene expression of MUC5AC mucins, induced by PMA through the inhibition of degradation of inhibitory kappa Bα (IkBα) and NF-kB p65 nuclear translocation. These results suggest diclofenac regulates the gene expression and production of mucin through regulation of NF-kB signaling pathway, in human airway epithelial cells.