Toxicology in vitro : an international journal published in association with BIBRA
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β-Ionone, a precursor of carotenoids, possesses a variety of biological properties such as anti-cancerous, anti-mutagenic and anti-microbial activity. Nevertheless, anti-inflammatory effects of β-ionone remain unknown. In this study, we investigated whether ION attenuates the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in BV2 microglia cells. ⋯ We also found that LPS-induced NF-κB activation is significantly regulated through inhibition of Akt phosphorylation in the presence of β-ionone. Finally, we showed that β-ionone substantially inhibits the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), including ERK1/2, p38 and JNK, which are closely related to regulation of pro-inflammatory mediator secretion. Taken together, these data imply that β-ionone regulates LPS-induced NF-κB-dependent inflammatory pathways through suppression of Akt and MAPK activation.