Chrysophyllum albidum fruit peel attenuates nociceptive pain and inflammatory response in rodents by inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and COX-2 expression through suppression of NF-κB activation

Chrysophyllum abidum fruit is a seasonal fruit commonly eaten as snacks with abundant health promoting phytochemicals in the fruit peels. The fruit peels have been reported to be rich in anti-inflammatory eleagnine, myricetin rhamnoside, quercetin, linoleic acid and oleic acid. We hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory effect of the peel extract involve suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, cyclooxygenase-2 and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB). Hence, this study was designed to assess the anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of fruit peel extract of Chrysophyllum albidum in animal models of nociception and inflammation. The anti-nociceptive activity of CAPEE (100 and 400 mg/kg) was evaluated in acetic acid-induced writhing and formalin-induced paw licking in mice. Formalin-induced paw edema and carrageenan-induced air pouch models of inflammation were used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity. CAPEE (100 and 400 mg/kg) significantly reduced abdominal writhing and paw licking in acetic acid and formalin tests in mice, respectively. CAPEE demonstrated significant inhibition of paw edema at 24 h (41.0% and 55.7%) and 72 h (52.3% and 86.6%) after formalin injection. CAPEE suppressed inflammatory responses in carrageenan-induced air pouch by reducing exudates, inflammatory cells infiltration, nitrites and myeloperoxidase activity. There was significant inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-6 levels and reduced immunopositive expression of COX-2 and NF-κB. In conclusion, CAPEE has anti-nociceptive and anti-inflammatory potentials via mechanisms associated with inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression through suppression of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activation, and has potential as a functional food ingredient.     

Development of a novel furocoumarin derivative inhibiting NF-κB dependent biological functions: design, synthesis and biological effects

Nuclear Factor kappaB (NF-κB) plays a very important role in the control of gene expression and is deeply involved in several human pathologies. Accordingly, molecules targeting NF-κB dependent biological functions are considered of great interest. Virtual screening of furocoumarin libraries against NF-κB p50 allowed to rank compounds in respect to their expected ability to bind NF-κB and the identified compound might be considered for the development of analogs to be tested for biological activity on inhibition of NF-κB/DNA complex formation. The data reported in the present paper suggest that, following this approach, the best ranked compounds identified by virtual screening (a) strongly bind in silico to NF-κB and (b) efficiently inhibit the molecular interactions between ³²P-labeled NF-κB double stranded DNA and p50 or p50/p65 complex. These data allowed to develop a novel lead of great interest for inhibiting NF-κB dependent biological functions. This novel molecule (compound 2), bearing a methyl group in the 9 position of the psoralen nucleus, exhibits high efficiency in inhibiting NF-κB/DNA interactions. In addition, we found that compound 2 is a potent inhibitor of IL-8 gene expression in TNF-α treated IB3-1 cystic fibrosis cells. Taken together, our data indicate that compound 2 might find an important place in the set of molecules of interest for the development of pharmaceutical strategies against the inflammatory phenotype of cystic fibrosis.     

Effects of oxidative stress and NF-κB levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells on development of silicosis

Objective To investigate the change of indicators of oxidative stress in serum and NF-κB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with silicosis, and explore the mechanism of the development of silicosis. Methods The subjects were divided into (1) 200 workers exposed to SiO2 for at least 1 years in a foundry served as the dust-exposure group; (2) 130 cases with silicosis (Ⅰ phase silicosis 64 cases, Ⅱ phase 46 cases Ⅲ phase 20 cases) served as the silicosis goup; (3) 32 cases with 0+ phase silicosis in the foundry served as the observed group,(4)100 subjects from a hotel served as the control group. The serum including superoxide dismutase (SOD), nitric oxide (NO), serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), nitric oxide synthase (NOS), lipid malondialdehyde (MDA) and NF-κB protein levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined, respectively. Results Compared with the control group,NO levels in dust-exposed group and silicosis group significantly increased, and SOD decreased significantly (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). Compared with the control group and dust-exposed group, T-AOC, NOS, MDA levels in silicosis group significantly increased (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01). GSH-Px in dust-exposed group and silicosis group were (231.164±36.484) and (270.469±39.228)U/md, respectively which were significantly than that [(223.360±46.838) U/ml] in control group (P＜0.05 or P＜0.01), and there was significant difference of GSHPx between the silicosis group and the dust-exposed group significantly (P＜0.01). GSH-Px level [(290.750±39.129) U/ml] in Ⅲ phase silicosis group were significantly higher than those [(256.906±21.41) and (259.594±34.79) U/ml] in observation group and Ⅰ phase silicosis group (P＜0.05). NF-κB levels [(72.06±9.12) and (85.25±11.64) ng/L] in dust-exposed group and silicosis group were significantly higher than that [(59.71±9.27) ng/L] in control group (P＜0.01), and there was significant difference of between the silicosis group and the dust-exposed group (P＜0.01). There was a positive correlation between serum GSH-Px level and the silicosis stages (r=0.507,P＜0.0l). Also there was a positive correlation between NF-κB level and silicosis stages, age, GSH-Px or NO levels (r=0.376, 0.243, 0.233, 0.221, P＜0.01). Conclusion The imbalance of oxidative and anti-oxidation system and the activation of NF-κB are related with the occurrence and development of silicosis. The monitoring of oxidative stress indicators and NF-κB is beneficial to the prediction and prognosis assessment of silicosis.     

Protective effects of liraglutide on glomerular podocytes in obese mice by inhibiting the inflammatory factor TNF-α-mediated NF-κB and MAPK pathway

ObjectiveTo evaluate the protective effects of Glucagon-like peptide-1(GLP-1) receptor agonist (liraglutide) on glomerular podocytes of obese mice, and explore the possible underlying mechanism.MethodsTwelve of the thirty-four healthy and clean male mice were randomly selected as the normal control group. The remaining twenty-two mice were included in the high-fat diet (HFD) feeding group. After twelve weeks of high-fat diet and normal diet, two mice each from the HFD feeding group and the normal control group were randomly selected and sacrificed to suggested that the modeling was successful in the HFD feeding group. Then, twenty mice were randomly divided into HFD + liraglutide group (liraglutide group, n = 10) and HFD group (n = 10). The morphology and the structure of glomerular podocytes were observed using electron microscopy. Podocyte foot process diameter, glomerular basement membrane thickness were measured. ELISA was performed to determine the serum tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) level. The expression levels of TNF-α protein and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) in kidney tissues, extracellularsignal regulating kinase(ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38MAPK in the mitogenactivated protein kinases(MAPK) pathway were detected by western blotting.ResultsHFD-feeding caused significant renal injury, podocyte pathological changes, podocyte foot process diameter and glomerular basement membrane thickness were significantly increased compared with the control group. Liraglutide injection significantly alleviated HFD-induced effects on renal functions and podocyte morphology, as 24 h urine protein, urinary albumin and podocyte histomorphology. Moreover, HFD-induced Inflammatory reaction were obviously attenuated by Liraglutide administration, so did the HFD-induced activation of TNF-α-mediated NF-κB and MAPK pathways.ConclusionLiraglutide reduced urinary albumin excretion in obesity-related glomerulopathy model mice, and improved podocyte morphology and structural damage. The mechanism may be partly related to the inhibition of TNF-α-mediated NF-κB and MAPK pathways.     

Zinc-suppressed inflammatory cytokines by induction of A20-mediated inhibition of nuclear factor-κB

ObjectiveChronic generation of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species are implicated in atherosclerosis, aging, cancers, and other chronic diseases. We hypothesized that zinc induces A20 in premonocytic, endothelial, and cancer cells, and A20 binds to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor associated factor, and inhibits Iκ kinase-α (IKK-α)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), resulting in downregulation of TNF-α and interleukin-1β (IL-1β).MethodsTo test this hypothesis, we used HL-60, human umbilical vein endothelial cells, and SW480 cell lines under zinc-deficient and zinc-sufficient conditions in this study. We measured oxidative stress markers, inflammatory cytokines, A20 protein and mRNA, A20–FRAF-1 complex, and IKK-α/NF-κB signaling in stimulated zinc-deficient and zinc sufficient cells. We also conducted antisense A20 and siRNA studies to investigate the regulatory role of zinc in TNF-α and IL-1β via A20.ResultsWe found that zinc increased A20 and A20–tumor necrosis factor-receptor associated factor-1 complex, decreased the IKK-α/NF-κB signaling pathway, oxidative stress markers, and inflammatory cytokines in these cells compared with zinc-deficient cells. We confirmed that zinc-induced A20 contributes to downregulation of TNF-α and IL-1β by antisense and short interfering RNA A20 studies.ConclusionOur studies suggest that zinc suppresses generation of NF-κB–regulated inflammatory cytokines by induction of A20.     

NF-κB与胃癌关系的研究进展

核因子κB(nuclearfactorkappaB ,NF -κB)是一类具有和某些基因上启动子区固定核苷酸序列结合而启动基因转录的功能性蛋白质 ,诸多因素可以使NF -κB促进基因转录活性增强[1～ 3 ] ,导致某些控制细胞转化靶基因转录增强 ,并引发肿瘤。胃癌是我国常见的恶性肿瘤之一 ,在消化系统恶性肿瘤死亡病例中 ,约有半数死于胃癌。越来越多的资料表明 ,NF -κB与肿瘤的发生发展、浸润转移及令人棘手的肿瘤耐药问题密切相关。NF -κB与胃癌的关系正日益受到学者的重视。一、NF -κB的结构与生物学功能NF -κB是从B细胞中提取的能与免疫球蛋白κ…     

NF-κB在SIRS中作用的研究进展

<正>NF-κB是普遍存在于细胞浆中的一种快反应转录因子,至1986年Sen和Baltimore从小鼠B淋巴细胞中首次发现,并证实其在免疫球蛋白κ轻链基因增强子B序列上有特异性结合位点,能促进κ轻链基因表达[1]以来,对NF-κB的研究从未     

Zinc Deficiency Induces Vascular Pro-Inflammatory Parameters Associated with NF-κB and PPAR Signaling

Objectives: Marginal intake of dietary zinc can be associated with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. In the current study we hypothesized that vascular dysfunction and associated inflammatory events are activated during a zinc deficient state.

Design: We tested this hypothesis using both vascular endothelial cells and mice lacking the functional LDL-receptor gene.

Results: Zinc deficiency increased oxidative stress and NF-κB DNA binding activity, and induced COX-2 and E-selectin gene expression, as well as monocyte adhesion in cultured endothelial cells. The NF-κB inhibitor CAPE significantly reduced the zinc deficiency-induced COX-2 expression, suggesting regulation through NF-κB signaling. PPAR can inhibit NF-κB signaling, and our previous data have shown that PPAR transactivation activity requires adequate zinc. Zinc deficiency down-regulated PPARα expression in cultured endothelial cells. Furthermore, the PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone was unable to inhibit the adhesion of monocytes to endothelial cells during zinc deficiency, an event which could be reversed by zinc supplementation. Our in vivo data support the importance of PPAR dysregulation during zinc deficiency. For example, rosiglitazone induced inflammatory genes (e.g., MCP-1) only during zinc deficiency, and adequate zinc was required for rosiglitazone to down-regulate pro-inflammatory markers such as iNOS. In addition, rosiglitazone increased IκBα protein expression only in zinc adequate mice. Finally, plasma data from LDL-R-deficient mice suggest an overall pro-inflammatory environment during zinc deficiency and support the concept that zinc is required for proper anti-inflammatory or protective functions of PPAR.

Conclusions: These studies suggest that zinc nutrition can markedly modulate mechanisms of the pathology of inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.     

De-alcoholised white and red wines decrease inflammatory markers and NF-κB in atheroma plaques in apoE-deficient mice

Aims of the study

Wine polyphenols attenuate the development of atherosclerosis, which involves an inflammatory process. We studied the beneficial effect of de-alcoholised white and red wines (DWW and DRW, respectively) on the development of atheroma plaques and on the expression of biomarkers.

Methods

We administered control or de-alcoholised wine-rich diets to apoE-deficient mice for 12 or 20 weeks. We then used optical microscopy or immunofluorescence to examine atherosclerotic lesion development in the thoracic aorta and aortic root and assessed the presence of cytokines and adhesion molecules by qPCR and immunofluorescence in total aorta and aortic root, respectively.

Results

Atherosclerotic lesions in thoracic aorta were significantly decreased in mice supplemented with DWW (30 %) and DRW (62 %) for 20 weeks. In addition, the expressions of interferon-γ, interleukin-1β, the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and CD68 were reduced by DRW. The adhesion molecule P-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 were decreased by 52, 76 and 45 %, respectively, in mice fed DRW for 12 weeks, whereas DWW reduced these parameters in a minor extent. The NF-κB expression in total aorta was significantly decreased in the mice treated with de-alcoholised wines for 12 weeks.

Conclusions

DRW is shown to be more effective than DWW on cytokines and adhesion molecule expression, in the early stages of the inflammatory events associated with atherosclerosis development, probably due to the high phenolic content of red wine. Downregulation of NF-κB expression may be involved in the mechanism by which de-alcoholised wines modulate atherosclerosis.