title: Scutellariae radix extracts suppress ethanol-induced caspase-11 expression and cell death in N(2)a cells.
abstract: Scutellariae radix is a Chinese herbal medicine that has been used to treat disease conditions accompanying inflammation and oxidative stress. In the present study, we examined the effect of Scutellariae radix extracts during acute ethanol exposure in N(2)a neuroblastoma. The Scutellariae radix extracts effectively inhibited ethanol-induced apoptosis and caspase-3/-7 activation. Ethanol induced the expression of caspase-11 that has been known as a dual regulator of pathological apoptosis and inflammatory response. The ethanol-induced caspase-11 expression was suppressed by pretreatment of the Scutellariae radix extracts. Furthermore, the activation of caspase-3/-7 and apoptosis were significantly inhibited in caspase-11-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts following ethanol treatment. These results suggest that caspase-11 has a regulatory role in ethanol-induced apoptosis, and the suppression of caspase-11 may be a mechanism by which Scutellariae radix exerts its cytoprotective effect.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Clinical Nutrition, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyounglan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Yeo Kyoung
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Ryowon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Choue
authors.forename: Shin Jung
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western / Q000379:methods; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D053471:Caspases, Initiator; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000379:methods; D051379:Mice; D009447:Neuroblastoma; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000431:Ethanol; C101136:Casp4 protein, mouse; D020169:Caspases; D053471:Caspases, Initiator