title: Quercetin inhibits inducible ICAM-1 expression in human endothelial cells through the JNK pathway.
abstract: The cell adhesion molecule intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) plays a pivotal role in inflammatory responses. Quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone), a naturally occurring dietary flavonol, has potent anti-inflammatory properties. The effect of quercetin on ICAM-1 expression induced by agonists phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in human endothelial cell line ECV304 (ECV) was investigated. Quercetin treatment downregulated both PMA- and TNF-alpha-induced surface expression, as well as the ICAM-1 mRNA levels, in ECV cells in a dose-dependent (10-50 microM) manner. Quercetin had no effect on PMA- or TNF-alpha-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation. However, under similar conditions a remarkable dose-dependent downregulation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) activation was observed. This decrease in AP-1 activation was observed to be associated with the inhibitory effects of quercetin on the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway. These results suggest that quercetin downregulates both PMA- and TNF-alpha-induced ICAM-1 expression via inhibiting both AP-1 activation and the JNK pathway.
authors.affiliation: Environmental Energies Technologies Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobuchi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Nguyen
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Packer
mesh_terms: D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D004790:Enzyme Induction; D006801:Humans; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology; D011493:Protein Kinase C / Q000378:metabolism; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000378:metabolism; D011794:Quercetin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D016328:NF-kappa B; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D011794:Quercetin; D011493:Protein Kinase C; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D013755:Tetradecanoylphorbol Acetate