ABSTRACT
The present study aimed to examine the anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanism of action of Artemisia asiatica Nakai (A. asiatica Nakai) extract in activated murine macrophages. A. asiatica Nakai extract showed dose-dependent suppression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2 activity. It also showed dose-dependent inhibition of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus and as an inhibitor of NF-κB-alpha phosphorylation. The extract's inhibitory effects were found to be mediated through NF-κB inhibition and phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and p38 in LPS-stimulated J774A.1 murine macrophages, suggesting a potential mechanism for the anti-inflammatory activity of A. asiatica Nakai. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the anti-inflammatory effects of A. asiatica Nakai on J774A.1 murine macrophages; these results may help develop functional foods possessing an anti-inflammatory activity.
Subject(s)
Artemisia/chemistry , Macrophages/immunology , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Signal Transduction/drug effects , p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism , Animals , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Cyclooxygenase 2/metabolism , Lipopolysaccharides/immunology , Lipopolysaccharides/toxicity , Macrophages/drug effects , Mice , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II/metabolism , Phosphorylation/drug effects , Signal Transduction/immunologySubject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Taurine/pharmacology , Benzothiazoles/chemistry , Biological Assay , Biphenyl Compounds/chemistry , Chromans/chemistry , Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , Humans , MCF-7 Cells , Picrates/chemistry , Sulfonic Acids/chemistry , Taurine/chemistry , Tumor Cells, CulturedSubject(s)
Breast Neoplasms/pathology , Cell Movement/drug effects , Taurine/pharmacology , Breast Neoplasms/genetics , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Movement/genetics , Estradiol/pharmacology , Female , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic/drug effects , Humans , MCF-7 Cells , Matrix Metalloproteinase 9/genetics , Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/genetics , Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent/pathology , Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1/genetics , Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-2/genetics , Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/geneticsABSTRACT
uvi31+ is a sequence homolog of Escherichia coli bolA gene in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, identified as a UV-inducible gene. Here, the cellular function of uvi31+ was investigated by null mutant analysis. Deletion of uvi31+ led to a delayed germination of spore and defects in subsequent cell division. However, the uvi31 mutant cell proliferated faster with smaller cell size than the wild-type cell during vegetative growth. In addition, the uvi31 mutant was sensitive to UV-light. It showed a normal cell cycle delay after UV-irradiation but displayed aberrant septum formation and defective cytokinesis when released from the UV damage checkpoint. These results suggest that uvi31+ may be involved in control of cell division, especially during the resumption from cell cycle arrest.
