Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Lemon Mucilage: In Vivo and In Vitro Studies

The mucilage extracted from a lemon juice centrifugation pulp was studied for its anti-inflammatory effect in rat. In vivo the lemon mucilage significantly inhibited carrageenan-induced edema in rat paw from 59% to 73.5% showing the highest effect at the third hour. In vitro, at the doses of 10^?8, 10^?6, 10^?4 or 10^?2 mg/mL the lemon mucilage stimulated the superoxide anion production in rat testing neutrophils in whole blood but inhibited it in FMLP stimulated cells at the dose of 10^?2 mg/mL. The neutrophils of rats receiving p.o. the lemon mucilage for 21 days showed a significant decrease of 45.5% in O₂^? generation after FMLP stimulation, and a not-significant increase after phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) or zymosan stimulation. Since the activity on zymosan- and PMA-induced O₂^? production was not significant, the inhibition exerted by FMLP in rat neutrophils occurred mainly through the blockade of phospholipase D.     

Expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and nitrotyrosineduring the evolution of experimental pulmonary tuberculosis

Nitric oxide (NO) is a relevant antimycobacterial factor in mouse macrophages. NO is a product of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). NO toxicity is greatly enhanced by reacting with superoxide to form peroxynitrite that reacts with many biological molecules. Tyrosine is one of the molecules with which NO reacts and the product is nitrotyrosine (NT). The production of peroxynitrite and the nitrosylation of proteins might play a role in bacterial killing and also in mediating host injury. In this study, we used a well-characterized mouse model of pulmonary tuberculosis to examine the local kinetics of expression and cellular distribution of iNOS and NT at the cellular and subcellular level. The histopathological study showed two phases of the disease: early and late. The early phase was characterized by mononuclear inflammation and granuloma formation. During this phase, high percentages of activated macrophages were observed that were immunostained for iNOS and NT. Immuno-electronmicroscopy showed NT immunoreactivity in lysosomes and mycobacterial wall and cytoplasm. The concentration of iNOS mRNA and NO metabolites were also elevated. The late phase was characterized by progressive pneumonia with focal necrosis and a decrease of iNOS mRNA and NO metabolites. The strongest NT immunostained areas were the necrotic tissue. Macrophages became foamy cells with scarce iNOS immunostaining but strong NT immunoreactivity. At the ultrastructural level, these cells showed NT immunolabeling in cytoskeleton, mitochondria, lysosomes and cell membrane. NT was also located in bronchial epithelial cell mitochondria, in cell membranes and cytoplasm of endothelial cells and in actin bundles within smooth muscle cells. These results suggest an important role of NO in mycobacterial killing, particularly during the early phase of the infection. They also suggest an important participation by NO in tissue damage during the late phase of the disease.     

Lipoteichoic acid induces nuclear factor-kappaB activation and nitric oxide synthase expression via phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, Akt, and p38 MAPK in RAW 264.7 macrophages

We previously demonstrated that lipoteichoic acid (LTA) might activate phosphatidylcholine-phospholipase C (PC-PLC) and phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C (PI-PLC) to induce protein kinase C activation, which in turn initiates nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation and finally induces inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) release in RAW 264.7 macrophages. In this study, we further investigated the roles of tyrosine kinase, phosphatidylinositiol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in LTA-induced iNOS expression and NO release in RAW 264.7 macrophages. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (genistein and tyrphostin AG126), PI3K inhibitors (wortmannin and LY 294002), and a p38 MAPK inhibitor (SB 203580) attenuated LTA-induced iNOS expression and NO release in concentration-dependent manners. Treatment of RAW 264.7 macrophages with LTA caused time-dependent activations of Akt and p38 MAPK. The LTA-induced Akt activation was inhibited by wortmannin, LY 294002, genistein, and tyrphostin AG126. The LTA-induced p38 MAPK activation was inhibited by genistein, tyrphostin AG126, wortmannin, LY 294002, and SB 203580. The LTA-induced formation of an NF-kappaB-specific DNA-protein complex in the nucleus was inhibited by wortmannin, LY 294002, genistein, tyrphostin AG126, and SB 203580. Treatment of macrophages with LTA caused an increase in kappaB-luciferase activity, and this effect was inhibited by tyrphostin AG126, wortmannin, LY 294002, the Akt dominant negative mutant (AktDN), and SB 203580. Based on those findings, we suggest that LTA might activate the PI3K/Akt pathway through tyrosine kinase to induce p38 MAPK activation, which in turn initiates NF-kappaB activation, and ultimately induces iNOS expression and NO release in RAW 264.7 macrophages.     

Fluoxetine increases the nitric oxide production via nuclear factor kappa B-mediated pathway in BV2 murine microglial cells

A body of recent evidence implicates that antidepressants affect the inflammatory response and immune system. The present study is focused on the effects of the most widely used antidepressant agent, fluoxetine on the production of nitric oxide (NO) in BV2 microglial cells. In this study, we observed interesting result that NO production was increased by fluoxetine. The mRNA level of nitric oxide synthase (iNos, Nos2) by RT-PCR was also stimulated by fluoxetine. We next conducted electophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) to determine the DNA binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (Nfkappab), an important upstream modulator for Nos2 expression, to find that fluoxetine increased DNA binding activity of Nfkappab. By Western blot analysis, phosphorylation levels of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 Mapk, Mapk14) and extracellular signal-related kinase (Erk)1/2 Mapk, upstream signaling mediators of Nfkappab were found to be increased by fluoxetine. In addition, the mRNA expressions of other proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin 6 (Il6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnfalpha) were examined. The expressions of both Il6 and Tnfalpha by fluoxetine treatment were similar to those of Nos2 and Nfkappab. Taken together, our results show that fluoxetine stimulates NO production via Nfkappab-mediated pathway in BV2 cells.     

Opposite effect of oxidative stress on inducible nitric oxide synthase and haem oxygenase-1 expression in intestinal inflammation: anti-inflammatory effect of carbon monoxide

Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) is expressed in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) of patients with active inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and in IEC of endotoxaemic rats. The induction of iNOS in IEC is an element of the NF-kappaB-mediated survival pathway. Haem oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is an AP-1-regulated gene that is induced by oxidative stress. The enzyme produces carbon monoxide (CO), which may attenuate the inflammatory response. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulation and interaction of iNOS and HO-1 in response to inflammation and oxidative stress. Male Wistar rats were treated with the thiol-modifying agent diethylmaleate (DEM) to induce oxidative stress and rendered endotoxaemic by LPS injection. Human colonic biopsies and the human colon carcinoma cell line DLD-1 were treated with DEM and the lipid peroxidation end-product 4-hydroxynonenal to induce oxidative stress and exposed to cytokine mix (CM) to mimic inflammation. In some experiments, cells were incubated with 250-400 ppm CO prior to and during stimulation with CM. HO-1 and iNOS expression was evaluated by RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistology. NF-kappaB activation was evaluated by EMSA. LPS induced iNOS but not HO-1 in epithelial cells of the ileum and colon. Oxidative stress strongly induced HO-1 in epithelial and inflammatory cells. Combined oxidative stress and endotoxaemia decreased iNOS expression but strongly induced HO-1 expression. Similarly, CM induced iNOS but not HO-1 in colonic biopsies and DLD-1 cells. Oxidative stress prevented iNOS induction in an NF-kappaB-dependent manner but increased HO-1 expression in CM-exposed DLD-1 cells. CO inhibited iNOS mRNA induction in CM-stimulated DLD-1 cells. These data demonstrate opposite regulation of iNOS and HO-1 in intestinal epithelial cells in response to cytokine exposure and oxidative stress. These findings suggest that iNOS (NF-kappaB driven) and HO-1 (AP-1 driven) represent mutually exclusive survival mechanisms in intestinal epithelial cells.     

姜黄素对IL-17诱导的人角质形成细胞NO合成以及iNOS表达的影响

目的:探讨姜黄素对IL-17诱导的人表皮角质形成细胞株(HaCaT细胞)NO合成以及诱导型一氧化氮合酶(iN-OS)的mRNA和蛋白表达的影响.方法:用IL-17刺激体外培养的HaCaT细胞,并分别加入3种浓度的姜黄素共培养24h.并收集细胞上清液、提取细胞总RNA、总蛋白,分别进行NO含量的测定、荧光定量PCR和Western blot实验,明确姜黄素对NO含量以及iNOS表达的影响.结果:IL-17能够有诱导HaCaT细胞NO以及iNOS的表达(P＜0.01).姜黄素有效下调NO合成量以及iNOS的mRNA(P ＜0.01)及蛋白表达(P＜0.01)水平.结论:姜黄素对IL-17诱导的HaCaT细胞NO分泌及iNOS的表达具有明显的抑制作用,从而为其对角质形成细胞相关的皮肤炎症性疾病的治疗提供了理论依据.     

c-Jun N-terminal kinase and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase mediate double-strand RNA-induced inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in microglial cells

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) has been implicated as a potential immune stimulant in activating microglia, which can cause chronic neurodegeneration. In this study, we examined the involvement of different types of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) by dsRNA in microglial cells. Nitric oxide production was increased after exposure of microglia to 50 μg/mL dsRNA. Levels of dsRNA-induced nitrite production in a line of immortalized murine microglia (BV2) and in primary cultures of murine microglia were decreased by inhibition of JNK or p38 MAPK, but were increased by inhibition of extracellular signal-regulated kinase. Similar results were shown in the levels of dsRNA-induced iNOS gene expression in BV2 cells. Phosphorylation levels of p38 MAPK were increased, depending on p38 MAPK inhibitor concentrations, while activation levels of MAPKAPK2, a known p38 substrate, were inhibited. Thus, it is likely that SB203580 inhibited the kinase activity of p38 MAPK, resulting in the loss of a feedback inhibition regulatory loop of p38 MAPK in BV2 cells. These findings suggest that dsRNA stimulated iNOS expression via MAPK signaling pathways, including JNK and p38 MAPK.     

缺氧诱导因子-1在缺氧诱导一氧化氮合成酶基因表达中的作用

目的 研究缺氧诱导因子-1(HIF-1)在一氧化氮合成酶基因缺氧诱导反应中的作用。方法 体外合成具有HIF-1特异结合位点的DNA片段(红细胞生成素3'-增强子片段),借助脂质体,转入培养的鼠主动脉内皮细胞和肺微血管细胞,用半定量RT-PCR方法测定诱导型一氧化氮合成酶(iNOS)mRNA。结果 (1)大鼠主动脉内皮细胞、肺微血管内皮细胞在常氧下培养,有iNOS基因表达;(2)缺氧能诱导这两种细胞iNOS基因表达增加;(3)野生型EPO3'-增强子片段能阻断缺氧对内皮细胞iNOS基因表达的诱导作用,而突变片段则无此作用。结论 在iNOS基因序列中,可能存在EPO3'-端增强子片段,其参与内皮细胞的缺氧反应。     

Localization of nitric oxide synthase in human trophoblast cells: role of nitric oxide in trophoblast proliferation and differentiation

PROBLEM: There are conflicting reports about the isoform of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) present in trophoblast cells. In this study, we have examined the presence of different NOS isoforms in trophoblast cells. In addition, the role of nitric oxide (NO) in trophoblast function has also been studied by investigating the possible role of nitric oxide in trophoblast proliferation and differentiation. METHOD OF STUDY: NOS isoforms in primary-term trophoblast and JEG-3 cells were identified by immunocytochemistry. The intracellular localization of this enzyme was determined by confocal laser scanning microscopy. Trophoblast proliferation was studied by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrasolium bromide (MTT) conversion assay and cellular differentiation was monitored by human chorionic gonodotropin (hCG) and progesterone secretion, measured by radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The immunoreactive NOS was present in human trophoblast cells of normal term placenta and JEG-3 cells (a choriocarcinoma cell line) maintained in culture. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH)-dependent diaphorase activity overlapped with the immunostaining of NOS. Specific antibodies against the different isoforms of NOS detected the presence of neuronal-type NOS (nNOS) only. The other two isoforms, i.e., eNOS (endothelial) and iNOS (macrophage specific) were completely absent. The nNOS was localized in cell cytoplasm. In culture, JEG-3 cells normally undergo proliferation and cytotrophoblast cells in primary culture differentiate to form hormone-secreting syncytial cells. Sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a nitric oxide donor, when added to the culture, significantly increased proliferation of JEG-3 cells and inhibited the differentiation of cytotrophoblast cells. The arrest by SNP in the formation of syncytial cells was further evidenced by the low secretion profile of hCG and progesterone. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest for the first time the presence of nNOS in the human trophoblast cells and a previously unrecognized role of NO in trophoblast proliferation and differentiation.     

Enhanced beta-adrenergic response in rat papillary muscle by inhibition of inducible nitric oxide synthase after myocardial infarction

Aim: Myocardial infarction (MI) induces a progressive ventricular remodelling leading to a contractility depression. During the acute phase of MI inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) production increases in the heart. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of iNOS in the left ventricular contractility at 3 days after MI. Methods: Wistar rats were divided into: sham operated (SHAM, n = 23), infarction (INF, n = 18); sham operated plus the iNOS inhibitor, S‐methylisothiourea (SMT) 5 mg kg^?1 day^?1, i.p. treatment (SHAM‐SMT, n = 26) and infarction plus SMT (INF‐SMT, n = 22). Concentration–response curves for isoprenaline, Ca²⁺ and frequency–force curve were studied in isolated papillary muscle from left ventricle. Results: After 3 days infarct area was similar between groups. SMT treatment reduced the time to peak tension during frequency–force curve in the infarct group (SHAM = 63 ± 3; SHAM‐SMT = 71 ± 3; INF = 90 ± 4; INF‐SMT = 79 ± 4 ms, P < 0.05) and increased the maximal response to isoprenaline (SHAM = 0.93 ± 0.11; SHAM‐SMT = 1.13 ± 0.1; INF =0.84 ± 0.16; INF‐SMT = 1.49 ± 0.15 g mm^?2, P < 0.05). The response to Ca²⁺ was equally reduced in the INF and INF‐SMT groups. SMT treatment did not change the reduced post‐rest potentiation performed by INF group, but attenuated the plasma nitrite and nitrate (NOx) levels in the INF group without any haemodynamic effect. Conclusion: These finding suggest that at 3 days after MI the iNOS modulates the isolated papillary muscle response to isoprenaline and its inhibition improves the β‐adrenergic inotropic responses.     

阿司匹林对炎症条件下人血管内皮细胞一氧化氮的产生及诱导型一氧化氮合酶mRNA表达的影响

目的:探讨炎症时阿司匹林(AS)对内皮细胞一氧化氮(NO)的产生及诱导型一氧化氮合酶(iNOS)基因表达的抑制作用。方法:Griess法测上清液NO^-₂/NO^-₃水平、黄递酶法测NOS活性、常规生化法测乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、丙二醛(MDA)浓度,染料排除法测细胞活力,RT-PCR技术分析iNOSmRNA水平。结果:白介素(IL)-1β、肿瘤坏死因子(TNF)-α、γ-干扰素(INF)联用脂多糖(LPS)诱导后上清液中NO^-₂/NO^-₃由(4.27±0.75)μmol/L增加到(9.35±1.25)μmol/L,对内皮细胞造成明显的损伤。但3mmol/LAS组NO生成及NOS活性明显降低,LDH释放率及MDA浓度下降,细胞存活率上升,与NO诱导组相比差异显著。并随AS剂量的增加对NO的抑制及对细胞的保护作用更加明显,但AS对生理水平的NO没有抑制作用。同时发现10mmol/L浓度以下AS对iNOSmRNA表达水平没有影响;但10-20mmol/L的AS则可在转录水平上抑制iNOSmRNA的表达。并观察到水杨酸钠及消炎痛不具有抑制NO产生的作用。结论:AS具有明显抑制IL-1β、TNF-α、γ-INF及LPS诱导NO生成的作用,从而保护血管内皮细胞避免炎症时高浓度NO的损伤。     

Signalling mechanisms involved in the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase by Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG,endotoxin, and lipoteichoic acid

Background and Aims: Probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (Lactobacillus GG) has been found beneficial in the treatment of viral and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Recently, it has also been shown to induce nitric oxide (NO) production, and have some other immunostimulatory effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms involved in the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and NO production by Lactobacillus GG. Methods and Results: iNOS expression and NO production induced by Lactobacillus GG, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and lipoteichoic acid (LTA) was abrogated by NOS inhibitors L-NMMA and 1400W, by a protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, by a tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein and by a NF-B inhibitor pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) in J774 macrophages. Polymyxin B inhibited NO production induced by LPS, but did not inhibit Lactobacillus GG induced NO production. _P42/44 MAP-kinase inhibitor PD98059, dexamethasone and cyclosporine A inhibited partially iNOS protein expression and NO formation in LactobacillusGG, LPS and LTA treated cells. Ro 31-8220 (protein kinase C inhibitor) and SB203580 (p38 MAP-kinase inhibitor) had only a minor effect on NO production. Conclusions: Lactobacillus GG induced NO production through iNOS pathway and the mechanisms mediating that process were very similar with those involved in LPS and LTA induced NO synthesis.     

Rhodiola sachalinesis induces the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase gene by murine fetal hepatocytes (BNL CL.2)

We have examined the effect of the aqueous extract of Rhodiola sachalinensis root (RSE), a traditional herbal medicine, on nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in murine fetal hepatocytes (BNL CL.2) by measuring the stable end-product nitrite and the mRNA of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) by itself failed to induce NO synthesis in BNL CL.2 cells. RSE also did not elicit NO synthesis at concentrations up to 1000 μg/ml, but dose- and time-dependently induced NO synthesis in the presence of IFN-γ in BNL CL.2 cells. Whereas RSE or IFN-γ failed to induce detectable levels of iNOS mRNA, a combination of RSE and IFN-γ markedly induced iNOS mRNA in BNL CL.2 cells. Thus, we found that RSE triggered IFN-γ-primed BNL CL.2 cells to synthesize NO by inducing iNOS gene expression. The capability of RSE to induce NO synthesis might be related to the therapeutic efficacy of RSE on the liver diseases.     

Expression of cyclooxygenase-2, alpha 1-acid-glycoprotein and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the developing lesions of murine leprosy

Murine leprosy is a chronic disease of the mouse, the most popular animal model used in biomedical investigation, which is caused by Mycobacterium lepraemurium (MLM) whose characteristic lesion is the macrophage-made granuloma. From onset to the end of the disease, the granuloma undergoes changes that gradually transform the environment into a more appropriate milieu for the growth of M. lepraemurium. The mechanisms that participate in the formation and maturation of the murine leprosy granulomas are not completely understood; however, microbial and host-factors are believed to participate in their formation. In this study, we analysed the role of various pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory proteins in granulomas of murine leprosy after 21 weeks of infection. We assessed the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), alpha acid-glycoprotein (AGP), and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) at sequential stages of infection. We also looked for the nitric-oxide nitrosylation product, nitrotyrosine (NT) in the granulomatous lesions of murine leprosy. We found that a pro-inflammatory environment predominates in the early granulomas while an anti-inflammatory environment predominates in late granulomas. No obvious signs of bacillary destruction were observed during the entire period of infection, but nitrosylation products and cell alterations were observed in granulomas in the advanced stages of disease. The change from a pro-inflammatory to an anti-inflammatory environment, which is probably driven by the bacillus itself, results in a more conducive environment for both bacillus replication and the disease progression.     

Antagonistic effects of IL-4 and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) on inducible nitric oxide synthase expression in bovine macrophages exposed to Gram-positive bacteria

Cytokine-mediated modulation of nitric oxide (NO) production by bacteria-stimulated bovine macrophages was studied. When Salmonella dublin, as a prototypic Gram-negative organism, was used, NO generation was barely enhanced by recombinant bovine and ovine IFN-γ, but was suppressed by IL-4. Salmonella dublin-induced NO generation was not influenced by a panel of nine other cytokines. The panel included IL-1, tumour necrosis factor (TNF) and IFN-α, which are active in a similar mouse macrophage model. The tested cytokines were either homologous or known to interact with bovine cytokine receptors. Recombinant bovine and ovine IFN-γ were the only cytokines which strongly enhanced NO synthesis by macrophages exposed to the Gram-positive organism, Listeria monocytogenes. Listeria-induced NO generation was strongly suppressed by recombinant human and bovine IL-4, but not by IL-10 and transforming-growth-factor-beta. Thus, two cytokines characterizing a Th1 and a Th2 response up- and down-regulate, respectively, bacteria-induced NO generation in bovine macrophages, whereas nine other cytokines had little activity in this regard. This modulation was reflected in changes in the steady state levels of mRNA coding for inducible nitric oxide synthase. Combinations of IFN-γ and IL-4 suggested that the relative proportion of these cytokines determined whether bacteria-induced NO generation was up- or down-regulated. At saturating IL-4 concentrations, stimulation of bacteria-induced NO generation in macrophages by T cell supernatants was solely dependent on IFN-γ. This was shown by antibody neutralization experiments and by a close correlation between the capacity of supernatants to stimulate NO generation and the IFN-γ content, as determined by immunoassay.     

High nitric oxide production,secondary to inducible nitric oxide synthase expression,is essential for regulation of the tumour‐initiating properties of colon cancer stem cells

Chronic inflammation is a leading cause of neoplastic transformation in many human cancers and especially in colon cancer (CC), in part due to tumour promotion by nitric oxide (NO) generated at inflammatory sites. It has also been suggested that high NO synthesis, secondary to inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression, is a distinctive feature of cancer stem cells (CSCs), a small subset of tumour cells with self‐renewal capacity. In this study we explored the contribution of NO to the development of colon CSC features and evaluated potential strategies to treat CC by modulating NO production. Our data show an integral role for endogenous NO and iNOS activity in the biology of colon CSCs. Indeed, colon CSCs with high endogenous NO production (NO^high) displayed higher tumourigenic abilities than NO^low fractions. The blockade of endogenous NO availability, using either a specific iNOS inhibitor or a genetic knock‐down of iNOS, resulted in a significant reduction of colon CSC tumourigenic capacities in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, analysis of genes altered by iNOS‐directed shRNA showed that the knockdown of iNOS expression was associated with a significant down‐regulation of signalling pathways involved in stemness and tumour progression in colon CSCs. These findings confirm that endogenous NO plays an important role in defining the stemness properties of colon CSCs through cross‐regulation of several cellular signalling pathways. This discovery could shed light on the mechanisms by which NO induces the growth and invasiveness of CC, providing new insights into the link between inflammation and colon tumourigenesis. Copyright © 2015 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.