Search

This study aims to explore the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of sargachromenol in both RAW 264.7 cells and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice, as previous reports have suggested that sargachromenol possesses anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective properties. Although the precise mechanism behind its anti-inflammatory activity remains unclear, pretreatment with sargachromenol effectively reduced the production of nitric oxide, prostaglandin E 2 , and interleukin (IL)-1 β in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells by inhibiting cyclooxygenase-2. Moreover, sargachromenol inhibited the activation of nuclear factor- κ B (NF- κ B) by preventing the degradation of the inhibitor of κ B- α (I κ B- α ) and inhibiting protein kinase B (Akt) phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated cells. We also found that sargachromenol induced the production of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) by activating the nuclear transcription factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). In LPS-treated mice, oral administration of sargachromenol effectively reduced the levels of IL-1 β , IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α ) in the serum, suggesting its ability to suppress the production of inflammatory mediators by inhibiting the Akt/NF- κ B pathway and upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Thieme. All rights reserved.)

Sargahydroquinoic acid (SHQA) is a major plastoquinone in Sargassum macrocarpum and has shown the capacity to prevent inflammation and oxidative stress. However, the protective mechanisms were unclear. The molecular mechanisms of SHQA on ameliorating inflammation and oxidative stress have been investigated, using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophages. SHQA was isolated and purified from S. macrocarpum and the anti-inflammatory mechanisms were explored using LPS-stimulated murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. SHQA did not change the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) but inhibited the activity of COX-2. As a result, SHQA significantly diminished the secretions of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E 2 (PGE 2 ), and multiple pro-inflammatory cytokines. LPS-induced activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was inhibited by SHQA by preventing the degradation of inhibitor κB-α (IκBα). NF-κB activation was also downregulated by the inhibition of Akt phosphorylation in LPS-stimulated cells. Furthermore, SHQA induced the expression of heme oxygenase 1 via Nrf2 activation. These results indicated that SHQA inhibited LPS-induced expressions of inflammatory mediators via suppressing the Akt-mediated NF-κB pathway as well as upregulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Our findings suggest that SHQA might be a potential therapeutic agent in various inflammatory diseases., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

We have recently reported that TLR-related genes, including TLR7, are upregulated during aging. However, the role of TLR7 and its endogenous ligand in inflammation related to aging is not well defined. Here, we established that small RNAs trigger age-related renal inflammation via TLR7 signaling pathway. We first investigated the expression changes of nine different TLRs in kidney of 6-month-old young rats and 20-month-old aged rats. The results revealed that the expression of TLR7 was the highest among nine TLRs in kidney of old rats compared to the young aged rats. Next, to assess the role of cellular RNA as a TLR7 ligand, we treated a renal tubular epithelial cell line with total RNA isolated from the kidney of young and old rats. The results showed that RNA isolated from old rats showed higher expression of TLR7, IL1β, and TNFα compared to that from young rats. Furthermore, RNA isolated from old rats induced IKKα/β/JNK/NF-κB activation. To identify RNA that activates TLR7, we isolated small and large RNAs from old rat kidney and found that small RNAs increased TLR7 expression in cells. Finally, to investigate the local inflammatory response by small RNA, C57B/L6 mice were intraperitoneally injected with small RNAs isolated from young and old rats; thereby, RNA isolated from old rats induced higher inflammatory responses. Our study demonstrates that renal small RNAs from aged rats induce pro-inflammatory processes via the activation of the TLR7/IKKα/β/JNK/NF-κB signaling pathway, and highlights its causative role as a possible therapeutic target in age-related chronic renal inflammation., (© 2017 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objective: Microglial activation has been implicated in many neurological disorders for its inflammatory and neurotrophic effects. In this study, we investigated the pharmaceutical properties of 6,6'-bieckol on the regulation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation responsible to the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 and murine primary microglial cells. Meterials and methods: The levels of nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE)2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured by Griess assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The levels of iNOS, COX-2, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and Akt were measured using Western blot. Nuclear translocation and transcriptional activation of NF-κB were determined by immunofluorescence and reporter gene assay, respectively., Results: We found that 6,6'-bieckol decreased the expression of iNOS and COX-2 as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated BV2 and primary microglial cells in a dose-dependent manner. 6,6'-Bieckol inhibited activation of NF-κB by preventing the degradation of inhibitor κB (IκB)-α and led to prevent the nuclear translocation of NF-κB/p65 subunit. Moreover, 6,6'-bieckol inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, JNK, and p38 MAPK., Discussion and Conclusion: These results indicate that the anti-inflammatory effect of 6,6'-bieckol on LPS-stimulated microglial cells is mainly regulated by the inhibition of IκB-α/NF-κB and JNK/p38 MAPK/Akt pathways, supporting biochemical characteristics of the compound for therapeutic agent against neuroinflammatory diseases caused by microglial activation.

Myagropsis myagroides, a brown alga, showed strong anti-inflammatory activities in the previous studies. In this study, we isolated a strong anti-inflammatory compound, sargaquinoic acid (SQA), from M. myagroides and investigated the anti-inflammatory action using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. SQA suppressed the production of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS-stimulated cells as well as that of reactive oxygen species. As a result, SQA inhibited the production of NO, prostaglandin E2, and pro-inflammatory cytokines. LPS-induced transcriptional activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) was remarkably inhibited by SQA treatment through the prevention of inhibitor κB-α degradation. The regulation of NF-κB activation was also mediated by the phosphorylation of ERK and Akt in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, SQA induced the production of heme oxygenase 1 via activation of transcription factor Nrf2. These results indicate that SQA inhibits the LPS-induced expression of inflammatory mediators via suppression of ERK and Akt-mediated NF-κB pathway as well as up-regulation of Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, indicating that SQA has a potential therapeutic and preventive application in various inflammatory diseases., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Sargaquinoic acid (SQA) has been known for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study investigated the effects of SQA isolated from Sargassum serratifolium on the inhibition of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α-induced monocyte adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). SQA decreased the expression of cell adhesion molecules such as intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 as well as chemotactic cytokines such as interleukin-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in TNF-α-treated HUVECs. As a result, SQA prevented monocyte adhesion to TNF-α-induced adhesion. SQA also inhibited TNF-α-induced nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) translocation into the nucleus by preventing proteolytic degradation of inhibitor κB-α. Overall, SQA protects against TNF-α-induced vascular inflammation through inhibition of the NF-κB pathway in HUVECs. These data suggest that SQA may be used as a therapeutic agent for vascular inflammatory diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Microglial activation has been implicated in many neurological disorders for its inflammatory and neurotrophic effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of phlorofucofuroeckol B (PFF-B) isolated from Ecklonia stolonifera, on the production of inflammatory mediators in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia. PFF-B decreased secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 and the expression of pro-inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. Profoundly, PFF-B inhibited activation of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) by preventing the degradation of inhibitor κB-α (IκB-α), which led to prevent the nuclear translocation of p65 NF-κB subunit. Moreover, PFF-B inhibited the phosphorylation of Akt, ERK, and JNK. These results indicate that the anti-inflammatory effect of PFF-B on LPS-stimulated microglial cells is mainly regulated by the inhibition of IκB-α/NF-κB and Akt/ERK/JNK pathways. Our study suggests that PFF-B can be considered as a therapeutic agent against neuroinflammation by inhibiting microglial activation., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)