International immunopharmacology
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Mar 2010
Demethoxycurcumin, a natural derivative of curcumin attenuates LPS-induced pro-inflammatory responses through down-regulation of intracellular ROS-related MAPK/NF-kappaB signaling pathways in N9 microglia induced by lipopolysaccharide.
Our previous report has showed that demethoxycurcumin (DMC), a natural derivative of curcumin (Cur), exhibited stronger inhibitory activity on nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) production compared with Cur in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activated rat primary microglia. In the present study, the effect and possible mechanism of DMC on the production of pro-inflammatory mediators in LPS-activated N9 microglial cells were further investigated. The results showed that DMC significantly suppressed the NO production induced by LPS in N9 microglial cells through inhibiting the protein and mRNA expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS). ⋯ Moreover, the level of intracellular reactive oxygen species (iROS) was significantly increased by LPS, which is mainly mediated by the up-regulated expression of gp91phox, the catalytic subunit of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate reduced (NADPH) oxidase. Both DMC and Cur could markedly decrease iROS production and the expression of NADPH oxidase induced by LPS, with more potent inhibitory activity of DMC. In summary, these data suggest that DMC exerts its in vitro anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-activated N9 microglial cells by blocking nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and MAPKs activation, which may be partly due to its potent down-regulation of the NADPH-derived iROS production.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Dec 2009
Immunomodulating effects of Korean mistletoe lectin in vitro and in vivo.
The immunomodulatory effects of Korean mistletoe lectin (KML), one of the major active components in Viscum album L. var. coloratum, were investigated in vitro in immune cell proliferation and natural killer (NK) cell- and macrophage-mediated cytotoxicity, and in vivo in the forced swim test and cold stress. In mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation of murine splenocytes, concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide significantly increased the proliferation of T cell and B cell lymphocytes, respectively. KML exposure increased lymphocyte proliferation in response to mitogen. ⋯ The levels of serum aminotransferases, lactate dehydrogenase and alkaline phosphatase were decreased by KML treatment. KML treatment also induced increases in the percentages of CD4(+) and CD8(+) cells in thymus. Our results suggest that KML enhances the immune system through modulation of lymphocytes, NK cells, and macrophages.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Oct 2009
ReviewThe effects and mechanisms of insulin on systemic inflammatory response and immune cells in severe trauma, burn injury, and sepsis.
Insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, inflammatory disorders and immune dysfunction cause high morbidity and mortality in patients with severe trauma, burn injuries, or sepsis. Many studies have shown that intensive insulin therapy can combat insulin resistance, decrease blood glucose levels, and induce anabolic processes, thus, decreasing morbidity and mortality. ⋯ This effect of insulin may expand our understanding of intensive insulin therapy in critically ill patients. This review attempts to summarize studies on the modulatory effects and mechanisms of insulin therapy on systemic inflammation and immune cells in severe trauma, burn injury and sepsis, and further propose some questions for future studies.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Aug 2009
Zedoarondiol isolated from the rhizoma of Curcuma heyneana is involved in the inhibition of iNOS, COX-2 and pro-inflammatory cytokines via the downregulation of NF-kappaB pathway in LPS-stimulated murine macrophages.
Several sesquiterpene lactones that have been isolated from medicinal plants are known to have many pharmacological activities. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of zedoarondiol, a sesquiterpene lactone isolated from the rhizoma of Curcuma heyneana, in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage cells. Zedoarondiol dose-dependently inhibited LPS-stimulated nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) productions in RAW 264.7 macrophage and in mouse peritoneal macrophage cells. ⋯ Furthermore, zedoarondiol attenuated the phosphorylations of IkappaB kinase (IKK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38), and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Taken together, the findings of the present study indicate that zedoarondiol inhibits iNOS, COX-2, and pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions by suppressing the phosphorylations of IKK and MAPKs, and by subsequently inactivating the NF-kappaB pathway. These relations reveal, in part, the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory properties of zedoarondiol.
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Int. Immunopharmacol. · Mar 2009
Hydroxyethyl starch 130/0.4 prevents the early pulmonary inflammatory response and oxidative stress after hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation in rats.
This study was designed to determine the effects of various resuscitation fluids on pulmonary capillary leakage and pulmonary edema after HS and fluid resuscitation (HS/R) and to determine whether an antiinflammatory or antioxidative mechanism was involved. ⋯ HES might attenuate pulmonary injuries by modulating pulmonary inflammatory response and oxidative stress, whereas BL attenuates pulmonary injuries by modulating pulmonary inflammatory response but not oxidative stress.