title: Chloroquine induces activation of nuclear factor-kappaB and subsequent expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines by human astroglial cells.
abstract: Chloroquine, an antimalarial lysosomotropic base, is known for its anti-inflammatory effects and therefore used for treatment of autoimmune diseases. Given its anti-inflammatory effects, it has been under clinical trials to modify neurodegenerative processes. In this study, we examined whether chloroquine has an anti-inflammatory effect in the CNS by determining the in vitro effects of chloroquine on LPS-induced expression of cytokines by glial cells. We observed that (i) chloroquine augmented LPS-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as lymphotoxin (LT)-beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 in human astroglial cells, while the same treatment suppressed LPS-induced expression of cytokines in monocytic and microglial cells; (ii) chloroquine alone induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose- and time-dependent manner in astroglial cells; (iii) other lysosomotropic agents such as ammonium chloride and bafilomycin A1 had minimal effects on cytokine expression; and (iv) chloroquine induced the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B in astroglial cells, which is a required component of chloroquine induction of cytokines. These results suggest that chloroquine may evoke either anti- or pro-inflammatory responses in the CNS depending on the cellular context.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: Jinseu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Daeho
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Chulhee
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Jae-Wook
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Etty N
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Benveniste
mesh_terms: D000643:Ammonium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002738:Chloroquine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D053308:Lymphotoxin-beta; D018942:Macrolides; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D009000:Monocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; C505886:LTB protein, human; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C505887:Ltb protein, mouse; D008233:Lymphotoxin-alpha; D053308:Lymphotoxin-beta; D018942:Macrolides; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D016328:NF-kappa B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D000643:Ammonium Chloride; C057620:bafilomycin A; D002738:Chloroquine