Inhibition of Ca2+-release-activated Ca2+ channel (CRAC) and K+ channels by curcumin in Jurkat-T cells

The increase in cytoplasmic Ca(2+) concentration (Δ[Ca(2+)](c)) mediated by the Ca(2+)-release-activated Ca(2+) channel (CRAC) is a critical signal for the activation of lymphocytes. Also, the voltage-gated K(+) channel (K(v)) and intermediate-conductance Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channel (IKCa1/SK4) have drawn attention as pharmacological targets for regulating immune responses. Since polyphenolic agents have various immunomodulatory effects, here we compared the effects of curcumin, rosmarinic acid, resveratrol, and epigallocatechin gallate on the ionic currents through CRAC (I(CRAC)), K(v) (I(Kv)), SK4 (I(SK4)) and on the Δ[Ca(2+)](c) of Jurkat-T cells using the patch clamp technique and fura-2 spectrofluorimetry. Curcumin (10 μM) inhibited store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE). Consistently, dose-dependent inhibition of I(CRAC) by curcumin was confirmed in Jurkat-T (IC(50), 5.9 μM) and the HEK293 cells overexpressing Orai1 and STIM1 (IC(50), 0.6 μM). Also, curcumin inhibited both I(Kv) (IC(50), 11.9 μM) and I(SK4) (IC(50), 4.2 μM). The other polyphenols (rosmarinic acid, resveratrol, and epigallocatechin gallate at 10 - 30 μM) had no effect on SOCE and showed only a partial inhibition of the K(+) currents. In summary, among the tested polyphenolic agents, curcumin showed prominent inhibition of major ion channels in lymphocytes, which might contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin. [Supplementary Figures: available only at http://dx.doi.org/10.1254/jphs.10209FP].     

姜黄素对脂多糖诱导小鼠早产的防治作用研究

目的了解感染性早产小鼠胎盘核转录因子-kappa Bp65(nuclear factor-kappa Bp65,NF-κBp65)和肿瘤坏死因子-α(tumor necrosis factor-alpha,TNF-α)mRNA的表达以及姜黄素的干预影响,探讨未来预防感染性早产的新措施。方法建立感染性早产小鼠模型,15d孕鼠被随机分成3组:NS组,LPS组,CUR+LPS组,每组18只。利用逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)方法检测姜黄素干预后的各组小鼠胎盘NF-κBp65和TNF-αmRNA的表达变化。结果LPS组孕鼠的早产率为87.5%,明显高于对照组(P=0.001);CUR+LPS组与LPS组相比早产率差异有统计学意义(P=0.041)。NS组有NF-κBp65和TNF-αmRNA的少量表达,LPS组与NS组相比,二者表达显著升高(P<0.05);CUR+LPS组和LPS组相比,二者表达差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论姜黄素对于感染性早产有防治作用,并且降低了早产小鼠胎盘NF-κBp65和TNF-αmRNA的表达。     

Recent advances in plant hepatoprotectives: a chemical and biological profile of some important leads

Medicinal plants have been traditionally used for treating liver diseases since centuries. Several leads from plant sources have been found as potential hepatoprotective agents with diverse chemical structures. Although, a big list of hepatoprotective phytomolecules was reported in the scientific literature, only a few were potent against various types of liver damages. Of which, silymarin, andrographolide, neoandrographolide, curcumin, picroside, kutkoside, phyllanthin, hypophyllanthin, and glycyrrhizin have largely attracted the scientific community. This review focuses discussion on the chemistry, biological activity, mode of action, toxicity, and future prospects of these leads.     

姜黄素对新生大鼠卵巢卵泡发育和卵母细胞凋亡的影响

目的：探讨姜黄素对新生大鼠卵泡发育和卵母细胞凋亡的影响。方法：雌性SD大鼠分为母鼠灌胃组（受孕11.5d母鼠灌胃姜黄素（100mg·kg^-1·d^-1）直至分娩,分别取出生后1、2和4d龄雌仔鼠卵巢）,新生鼠腹腔注射组（正常出生1d龄雌仔鼠腹腔注射姜黄素（100mg·kg^-1·d^-1）,连续4d,分别取出生后2、4d龄卵巢）和对照组（以母、幼均未用药的正常同天龄新生鼠的卵巢为对照）。卵巢组织切片由苏木精-伊红染色,观察不同发育阶段的卵泡比例,TUNEL染色检测卵巢内卵母细胞凋亡情况。结果：在1d龄卵巢中,母鼠灌胃组未装配卵泡比例明显低于对照组（P〈0.05）,而原始卵泡的比例明显增加（P〈0.05）;在2d龄卵巢中,新生鼠腹腔注射组未装配卵泡比例明显低于对照组（P〈0.05）,而原始卵泡比例则明显高于对照组（P〈0.05）;在4d龄卵巢中,新生鼠腹腔注射组的原始卵泡比例显著下降（P〈0.05）。早期初级和发育卵泡比例显著升高（P〈0.05）。在1、2d龄卵巢中,母鼠灌胃组和新生鼠腹腔注射组卵母细胞TUNEL阳性率均明显低于对照组（P〈0.05）。结论：姜黄素能加快新生大鼠卵母细胞巢破裂,促进原始卵泡的发育启动,同时能抑制卵母细胞凋亡,可能有益于延长卵巢的生殖寿命。     

Effect of insulin and its combination with resveratrol or curcumin in attenuation of diabetic neuropathic pain: participation of nitric oxide and TNF-alpha

Diabetic neuropathic pain, an important microvascular complication in diabetes mellitus, is recognized as one of the most difficult types of pain to treat. The underlying mechanisms of painful symptoms may be closely associated with hyperglycaemia but a lack of the understanding of its proper aetiology, inadequate relief, development of tolerance and potential toxicity of classical antinociceptives warrant the investigation of newer agents to relieve this pain. The aim of the present study was to explore the antinociceptive effect of insulin and its combinations with resveratrol and curcumin in attenuating diabetic neuropathic pain. The study also aimed to examine the effect of these combinations on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice. Four weeks after a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (200 mg/kg), mice were tested in the tail immersion and hot-plate assays. Diabetic mice exhibited significant hyperalgesia along with increased plasma glucose and decreased body weights compared with control mice. Chronic treatment with insulin (10 IU/kg/day, s.c.) and its combinations with antioxidants (resveratrol 20 mg/kg or curcumin 60 mg/kg, p.o.) for 4 weeks starting from the 4th week of STZ injection significantly attenuated thermal hyperalgesia and the hot-plate latencies. There was a significant inhibition of TNF-alpha and NO levels when these drugs were given in combination compared with their effects per se. These results indicate an antinociceptive activity of resveratrol and curcumin and point towards the beneficial effect of these combinations with insulin in attenuating diabetic neuropathic pain, possibly through the participation of NO and TNF-alpha.     

姜黄素激活过氧化物酶体增殖因子活化受体γ信号对大鼠肝星状细胞基质金属蛋白酶2、9活性和胞核核因子-κBp65表达的影响

目的 研究姜黄素激活过氧化物酶体增殖因子活化受体γ（PPARγ）信号对大鼠肝星状细胞（HSC）活化、基质金属蛋白酶（MMPs）活性和胞核核因子-κBp65（RelA）表达的影响。方法 采用肝脏原位灌流酶消化、Nycodenz密度梯度离心法分离大鼠HSC。药物处理后收集裂解细胞,Western blot检测PPARγ、α平滑肌肌动蛋白（αSMA）、Ⅰ型胶原、RelA。收集细胞培养上清,明胶酶谱法检测MMP2、9的活性。结果 随着HSC活化程度增加PPAR7表达水平不断下降,姜黄素上调其表达水平（P〈0．01）,拮抗剂GW9662显著阻断这种作用（P〈0．01）。姜黄素抑制αSMA的表达、Ⅰ型胶原的生成以及胞核内活化RelA的表达（P〈0．01）,显著升高MMP2、9的活性（P〈0．01）。结论 姜黄素激活PPARγ信号途径抑制HSC活化,升高MMP2、9活性,抑制／干扰NFκB的核转位。     

Targeting NOX, INOS and COX-2 in inflammatory cells: chemoprevention using food phytochemicals

Biological, biochemical and physical stimuli activate inflammatory leukocytes, such as macrophages, resulting in induction and synthesis of proinflammatory proteins and enzymes, together with free radicals, as innate immune responses. On the other hand, chronic and dysregulated activation of some inducible enzymes, including NADPH oxidase (NOX), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, have been shown to play pivotal roles in the development of certain inflammatory diseases such as oncogenesis. While the use of synthetic agents, especially those targeting molecules, is an attractive and reasonable approach to prevent carcinogenesis, it should be noted that traditional herbs and spices also exist along with their active constituents, which have been demonstrated to disrupt inflammatory signal transduction pathways. In this mini-review, the molecular mechanisms of activation or induction of NOX, iNOS and COX-2, as well as some food phytochemicals with marked potential to regulate those key inflammatory molecules, are highlighted. For example, 1'-acetoxychavicol acetate, which occurs in the rhizomes of the subtropical Zingiberaceae plant, has been shown to attenuate NOX-derived superoxide generation in macrophages, as well as lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide and prostaglandin E(2) production through the suppression of iNOS and COX-2 synthesis, respectively. Notably, this phytochemical has exhibited a wide range of cancer prevention activities in several rodent models of inflammation-associated carcinogenesis. Herein, the cancer preventive potentials of several food phytochemicals targeting the induction of NOX, iNOS and COX-2 are described.     

Effect of new curcumin‐containing nanostructured lipid dispersions on human keratinocytes proliferative responses

This study describes the production and characterization of nanostructured lipid dispersions (NLDs) containing curcumin (CUR) as new tools for curcumin topical delivery. Four types of NLDs based on monoolein in association with different emulsifiers were produced: Na cholate and poloxamer 407 (NLD1), poloxamer alone (NLD2), the mixture of Na cholate and Na caseinate (NLD3) and Na cholate alone (NLD4). Morphology and dimensional distribution of lipid dispersions were investigated by cryo‐TEM and photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS). In vitro studies based on Franz cell, membrane nylon and stratum corneum–epidermis (SCE) were carried out to compare the four NLDs in terms of cytotoxicity in human keratinocytes and CUR diffusion. Our PCS studies showed differences in particles diameter among the different NLDs. In addition, cytotoxicity results in HaCaT cells evidenced that NLD1 and NLD2 were toxic at doses over 1 μm . Therefore, cryo‐TEM was determined only for NLD3 and NLD4 showing that CUR did not affect their structure. Diffusion measurement in SCE and nylon membrane evidenced that CUR had a time‐delayed release for NLD4. The ‘wound healing’ effect of NLD3 and NLD4 with and without CUR analysed keratinocytes in vitro, and a clear inhibition of cell proliferation/migration by CUR was observed. This effect was mediated by the inhibition of cyclin D1 expression as a consequence of the impaired NFkB activation. This study confirms the antiproliferative properties of CUR and evidenced a new possible model of CUR topical delivery for hyperproliferative cutaneous diseases such as psoriasis.     

基于斑马鱼模型的水溶性姜黄素制剂抗血栓和抗炎活性研究

目的 基于斑马鱼模型探究水溶性姜黄素制剂对血栓形成和炎症消退的作用。方法 随机挑选受精后3 d的斑马鱼分为对照组、模型组、阳性药对照组、水溶性姜黄素制剂（姜黄素质量分数为10%,125、250、500、1 000、2 000 μg·mL^-1）组、普通姜黄素（姜黄素质量分数为95%,125、250、500、1 000、2 000 μg·mL^-1）组,每组30尾。除对照组外,其余组使用花生四烯酸、脂多糖、五水合硫酸铜分别诱导建立血栓、细菌性炎症和神经性炎症模型。通过观察分析斑马鱼红细胞染色强度和炎症部位中性粒细胞个数来评价水溶性姜黄素制剂抑制血栓形成和抗炎作用。结果 与对照组比较,模型组斑马鱼心脏红细胞染色强度明显减少（P<0.001）、炎症部位中性粒细胞个数明显增多（P<0.001）;与模型组比较,水溶性姜黄素制剂≥250 μg·mL^-1质量浓度时能显著抑制血栓形成、消退炎症,主要表现为斑马鱼心脏红细胞染色强度显著升高（P<0.001）、炎症部位中性粒细胞个数明显减少（P<0.05、0.01、0.001）;姜黄素在≥1 000 μg·mL^-1时能显著抑制血栓形成（P<0.01、0.001）,≥500 μg·mL^-1时能显著消退炎症（P<0.05、0.01、0.001）。姜黄素为水溶性姜黄素制剂给药浓度2～8倍的条件下,才能达到相同的抑制血栓和炎症形成的效果。结论 与普通姜黄素组比较,在相同给药浓度下,水溶性姜黄素制剂具有更好的抑制血栓形成和抗炎作用。