title: Inhibition of LPS-induced nitric oxide and TNF-alpha production by alpha-lipoic acid in rat Kupffer cells and in RAW 264.7 murine macrophages.
abstract: The activation of Kupffer cells represents a central mechanism of inflammatory liver injury involving the production of two important inflammatory mediators, nitric oxide and TNF-alpha. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the hepatoprotective compound alpha-lipoic acid (thioctic acid) on the production of nitric oxide and TNF-alpha in isolated rat Kupffer cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages. Isolated rat Kupffer cells or RAW 264.7 were either untreated, treated with alpha-lipoic acid (500 micro g/mL), or activated with 1 micro g/mL of lipopolysaccharide in the presence or absence of alpha-lipoic acid (0.2-500 micro g/mL). After 20 h the accumulation of nitrite was measured by the Griess assay. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha secretion was quantified after 4 h by L929 bioassay. Cell viability was determined by mitochondrial reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test, nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) DNA binding activity by gelshift assays. Treatment of Kupffer cells and RAW 264.7 with alpha-lipoic acid alone had no effect on basal nitric oxide production. However, alpha-lipoic acid significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced nitrite accumulation. alpha-Lipoic acid did not alter basal TNF-alpha secretion in Kupffer cells, whereas it significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced TNF-alpha production. alpha-Lipoic acid attenuated the activation of nuclear factor-kappaB and AP-1, two transcription factors pivotal in induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase and TNF-alpha. alpha-Lipoic acid significantly inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophage production of nitric oxide and TNF-alpha via an attenuated activation of NF-kappaB and activator protein-1. The reduced production of nitric oxide and TNF-alpha in Kupffer cells may be involved in the hepatoprotective action conveyed by alpha-lipoic acid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Center of Drug Research, University of Munich, Germany. alexandra.kiemer@cup.uni-muenchen.de
authors.forename: Alexandra K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kiemer
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: Angelika M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Vollmar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000502:physiology; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D008063:Thioctic Acid / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D008063:Thioctic Acid; D019001:Nitric Oxide Synthase; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; C496318:Nos2 protein, rat