• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.205-212
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• 2009

Trichomonas vaginalis commonly causes vaginitis and perhaps cervicitis in women and urethritis in men and women. Macrophages are important immune cells in response to T. vaginalis infection. In this study, we investigated whether human macrophages could be involved in inflammation induced by T. vaginalis. Human monocyte-derived macrophages (HMDM) were co-cultured with T. vaginalis. Live, opsonized-live trichomonads, and T. vaginalis Iysates increased proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 by HMDM. The involvement of nuclear factor (NF)-${\kappa}B$ signaling pathway in cytokine production induced by T. vaginalis was confirmed by phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of p65 NF-${\kappa}B$. In addition, stimulation with live T. vaginalis induced marked augmentation of nitric oxide (NO) production and expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS) levels in HMDM. However, trichomonad-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and TNF-${\alpha}$ production in macrophages were significantly inhibited by inhibition of iNOS levels with L-NMMA (NO synthase inhibitor). Moreover, pretreatment with NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitors (PDTC or Bay11-7082) caused human macrophages to produce less TNF-${\alpha}$. These results suggest that T. vaginalis stimulates human macrophages to produce proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-${\alpha}$, and NO. In particular, we showed that T. vaginalis induced TNF-${\alpha}$ production in macrophages through NO-dependent activation of NF-${\kappa}B$, which might be closely involved in inflammation caused by T. vaginalis.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2014

Panax ginseng is a medicinal herb that is used worldwide. Its medicinal effects are primarily attributable to ginsenosides located in the root, leaf, seed, and flower. The flower buds of Panax ginseng (FBPG) are rich in various bioactive ginsenosides, which exert immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory activities. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of 18 ginsenosides isolated from steamed FBPG on the transcriptional activity of NF-${\kappa}B$ and the expression of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$)-stimulated target genes in liver-derived cell lines. Noticeably, the ginsenosides $Rk_3$ and $Rs_4$ exerted the strongest activity, inhibiting NF-${\kappa}B$ in a dose-dependent manner. SF and $Rg_6$ also showed moderately inhibitory effects. Furthermore, these four compounds inhibited the TNF-${\alpha}$-induced expression of IL8, CXCL1, iNOS, and ICAM1 genes. Consequently, ginsenosides purified from steamed FBPG have therapeutic potential in TNF-${\alpha}$-mediated diseases such as chronic hepatic inflammation.

• Advances in Traditional Medicine
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2009

Equisetum hyemale Linne. (EH) (Equisetaceae) has been used for the treatment of eye and skin disease, chronic eczema, pneumoconiosis and asthma in Korea and China. Human leukemic mast cells are widely distributed in the connective tissues of mammals and other vertebrates. Phorbol 12-myristrate 13-acetate (PMA) and calcium ionophore A23187 stimulated Human leukaemic mast cell line-1 (HMC-1) can produce a variety of inflammatory mediators and several pro-inflammatory and chemotactic cytokines such as TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 and IL-8. Since TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 and IL-8 are major factors during the inflammatory process, we studied the effects of EH on TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 and IL-8 release in HMC-1 stimulated with PMA and A23187. The result of this study indicate that EH inhibits TNF-$\alpha$, IL-6 and IL-8 in activated HMC-1 cells via $I{\kappa}B$/Nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ pathway. Therefore, EH might contribute significantly to the prevention or treatment of mast-cell mediated inflammatory diseases and EH has potential use in the therapy of chronic allergic inflammation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2009

Polyphenolic compounds are reported to have various pharmacological activities such as anti-oxidative, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory and anti-aging effects. Although numerous papers explore their functional roles in many different cellular actions, not many studies handle their structural features in anti-inflammatory responses. In this study, therefore, we examined structural role of substituted transstilbenes in their NO inhibitory and NF-${\kappa}B$ suppressive activities. Of 10 compounds tested, 4 compounds (cinnamic acid, resveratrol, piceatannol and curcumin) displayed NO inhibitory activities in a dose-dependent manner. Similarly, these compounds blocked LPS-induced cytotoxicity of RAW264.7 cells. All NO inhibitory compounds also inhibited $I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$ phosphorylation, a hallmark for NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. However, these inhibitory compounds exhibited distinct suppressive pattern in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$- or phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ and AP-1 activation. According to structure-activity relationship study, polarity and size of ring B seem to be important for diminishing NO production. Therefore, our data suggest that substituted trans-stilbenes can be developed as novel anti-inflammatory drug or further developed as lead compounds for another improvement.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.267-274
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• 2011

Bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induces expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enzymes producing nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandins (PGs) in immune cells. This process is mediated by the activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-${\kappa}B$). In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory characteristics of Codium fragile ethanolic extract (CFE) mediated by the regulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) using LPS-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. CFE significantly inhibited LPS-induced NO and $PGE_2$ production in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed the expression of iNOS and COX-2 proteins in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with no cytotoxicity. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, were significantly reduced by treatment of CFE in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. CFE inhibited the promoter activity of (NF)-${\kappa}B$ in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Treatment with CFE suppressed translocation of the NF-${\kappa}B$ p65 subunit by preventing proteolytic degradation of inhibitor of ${\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. These results indicate that the CFE-mediated inhibition of NO and $PGE_2$ production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells is mediated through the NF-${\kappa}B$-dependent transcriptional downregulation of iNOS and COX-2, suggesting the potential of CFE as a nutraceutical with anti-inflammatory activity.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.19-25
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• 2010

Objective : The aim of this study was to investigate anti-inflammatory activity of SD-01 methanol extract in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages. Methods : Cytotoxic activity of SD-01 methanol extract on RAW 264.7 cells was measured using 5-(3-caroboxymeth-oxyphenyl)-2H-tetra-zolium inner salt (MTS) assay. The nitric oxide (NO) production was measured by Griess reagent system. And proinflammatory cytokines and $PGE_2$ were measured by ELISA method. The levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), $I{\kappa}$-B-alpha and nuclear NF-${\kappa}$ B p65 expression were detected by western blot. Results : Our results indicated that methanol extract of SD-01 significantly inhibited the LPS-induced NO, $PGE_2$ production and iNOS, COX-2 expression accompanied by an attenuation of TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1\beta$, IL-6 and MCP-1 production in RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, methanol extract of SD-01 treatment also blocked LPS-induced NF-kB activation. Conclusion : These findings indicate that methanol extract of SD-01 inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines via suppression of NF-${\kappa}$ B activation. Take together, these results indicate that methanol extract of SD-01 has the potential for use as an agent of anti-chronic inflammatory diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.347-355
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• 2016

Cryptotanshinone (CPT) is a natural compound isolated from traditional Chinese medicine Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge. In the present study, the regulatory effect and potential mechanisms of CPT on tumor necrosis factor alpha ($TNF-{\alpha}$) induced lectin-like receptor for oxidized low density lipoprotein (LOX-1) were investigated. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured and the effect of $TNF-{\alpha}$ on LOX-1 expression at mRNA and protein levels was determined by Real-time PCR and Western blotting respectively. The formation of intracellular ROS was determined with fluorescence probe $CM-DCFH_2-DA$. The endothelial ox-LDL uptake was evaluated with DiI-ox-LDL. The effect of CPT on LOX-1 expression was also evaluated with SD rats. $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced LOX-1 expression in a dose- and time- dependent manner in endothelial cells. $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced ROS formation, phosphorylation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 and ERK, and LOX-1 expression, which were suppressed by rotenone, DPI, NAC, and CPT. $NF-{\kappa}B$ inhibitor BAY11-7082 and ERK inhibitor PD98059 inhibited $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ LOX-1 expression. CPT and NAC suppressed $TNF-{\alpha}-induced$ LOX-1 expression and phosphorylation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65 and ERK in rat aorta. These data suggested that $TNF-{\alpha}$ induced LOX-1 expression via ROS activated $NF-{\kappa}B/ERK$ pathway, which could be inhibited by CPT. This study provides new insights for the anti-atherosclerotic effect of CPT.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.560-567
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• 2018

In the present study, we tried to examine whether resveratrol regulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) through affecting nuclear factor-kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) in articular chondrocytes. Rabbit articular chondrocytes were cultured in a monolayer, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to measure interleukin-${\beta}$ ($IL-1{\beta}$)-induced gene expression of MMP-3, MMP-1, MMP-13, a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS-4), ADAMTS-5 and type II collagen. Effect of resveratrol on $IL-1{\beta}$-induced secretion of MMP-3 was investigated in rabbit articular chondrocytes using western blot analysis. To elucidate the action mechanism of resveratrol, effect of resveratrol on $IL-1{\beta}$-induced $NF-{\kappa}B$ signaling pathway was investigated in SW1353, a human chondrosarcoma cell line, by western blot analysis. The results were as follows: (1) resveratrol inhibited the gene expression of MMP-3, MMP-1, MMP-13, ADAMTS-4, and ADAMTS-5, but increased the gene expression of type II collagen; (2) resveratrol reduced the secretion of MMP-3; (3) resveratrol inhibited $IL-1{\beta}$induced activation (phosphorylation) of inhibitory kappa B kinase (IKK), and thus phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitory kappa $B{\alpha}$ ($I{\kappa}B{\alpha}$); (4) resveratrol inhibited $IL-1{\beta}$-induced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65. This, in turn, led to the down-regulation of gene expression of MMPs in SW1353 cells. These results suggest that resveratrol can regulate the expression of MMPs through affecting $NF-{\kappa}B$ by directly acting on articular chondrocytes.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.653-660
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• 2019

Ganoderma lucidum, an oriental polypore fungus and medicinal mushroom, has a long history of use for promoting health and longevity in Korea, China, and other Asian countries. This study was aimed at determining the anti-inflammatory activity and mechanism of action of Ganoderma lucidum in murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Ganoderma lucidum was extracted with ethanol and freeze-dried. The anti-inflammatory effect (nitrite production) of Ganoderma lucidum extracts was tested using a nitric oxide (NO) colorimetric assay. Semi-quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to quantify the mRNA expression of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$), interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$, and IL-6. Western blotting was performed to measure the expression levels of inflammation-related proteins, such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) p65, and phosphorylated $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65. The NO colorimetric assay showed that NO production increased with the treatment of lipopolysaccharide in (LPS)-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages and decreased with the cotreatment of Ganoderma lucidum extracts and LPS. Ganoderma lucidum extracts repressed the mRNA expressions of cytokines, which were increased after the LPS treatment. In addition, Ganoderma lucidum extracts inhibited the LPS-induced expression of iNOS and COX-2 and the LPS-induced phosphorylation of $NF-{\kappa}B$ p65. These results suggest that the Ganoderma lucidum extracts exert an anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting $NF-{\kappa}B$ related proteins and cytokines.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.308-315
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• 2010

Essential oil-excluded Artemisia princeps Pamp var Ssajuarissuk (AP) was fermented with Lactobacillus brevis K-1, which was isolated from cabbage Kimchi, and the anti-inflammatory effects of AP and fermented AP (FAP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory response in peritoneal macrophages were investigated. AP and FAP inhibited LPS-induced TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$, COX-2, iNOS and COX-2 expression, as well as NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. AP and FAP also reduced ear thickness, inflammatory cytokine (TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6) expression and NF-${\kappa}B$ activation with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induced dermatitis in mice. Furthermore, AP and FAP also reduced exudate volume, cell number, protein amount, inflammatory cytokines (TNF-$\alpha$, IL-$1{\beta}$ and IL-6) expression and NF-${\kappa}B$ activation in carrageenan-induced air pouch inflammation in mice. The inhibitory effects of FAP were more potent than those of non-fermented AP. Based on these findings, we propose that FAP can improve inflammatory diseases, such as dermatitis, by inhibiting the NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway.