title: Quercetin blocks airway epithelial cell chemokine expression.
abstract: Quercetin (3,3',4',5,7-pentahydroxyflavone), a dietary flavonoid, is an inhibitor of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase and potent antioxidant. We hypothesized that quercetin blocks airway epithelial cell chemokine expression via PI 3-kinase-dependent mechanisms. Pretreatment with quercetin and the PI 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002 each reduced TNF-alpha-induced IL-8 and monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 (also called CCL2) expression in cultured human airway epithelial cells. Quercetin also inhibited TNF-alpha-induced PI 3-kinase activity, Akt phosphorylation, intracellular H(2)O(2) production, NF-kappaB transactivation, IL-8 promoter activity, and steady-state mRNA levels, consistent with the notion that quercetin inhibits chemokine expression by attenuating NF-kappaB transactivation via a PI 3-kinase/Akt-dependent pathway. Quercetin also reduced TNF-alpha-induced chemokine secretion in the presence of the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D, while inducing phosphorylation of eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF)-2alpha, suggesting that quercetin attenuates chemokine expression by post-transcriptional as well as transcriptional mechanisms. Finally, we tested the effects of quercetin in cockroach antigen-sensitized and -challenged mice. These mice show MCP-1-dependent airways hyperresponsiveness and inflammation. Quercetin significantly reduced lung MCP-1 and methacholine responsiveness. We conclude that quercetin blocks airway cell chemokine expression via transcriptional and post-transcriptional pathways.
authors.affiliation: University of Michigan, 1150 W. Medical Center Drive, Box 0688, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-0688, USA.
authors.forename: Suparna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nanua
authors.forename: Suzanna M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zick
authors.forename: Juan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Umadevi S
authors.initials: US
authors.lastname: Sajjan
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.forename: Nicholas W
authors.initials: NW
authors.lastname: Lukacs
authors.forename: Marc B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hershenson
mesh_terms: D000485:Allergens / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D001985:Bronchial Provocation Tests; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018932:Chemokine CCL2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002867:Chromones / Q000378:metabolism; D003058:Cockroaches; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009025:Morpholines / Q000378:metabolism; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011794:Quercetin / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D020545:Respiratory Mucosa / Q000166:cytology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000485:Allergens; D000975:Antioxidants; D018932:Chemokine CCL2; D002867:Chromones; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D016209:Interleukin-8; D009025:Morpholines; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D000081082:Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D011794:Quercetin; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; C491768:Ccl2 protein, mouse; C085911:2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one