title: Suppression of age-related inflammatory NF-kappaB activation by cinnamaldehyde.
abstract: Redox sensitive, pro-inflammatory nuclear transcription factor NF-kappaB plays a key role in both inflammation and aging processes. In a redox state disrupted by oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory genes are upregulated by the activation of NF-kappaB through diverse kinases. Thus, the search and characterization of new substances that modulate NF-kappaB are of recent research interest. Cinnamaldehyde (CNA) is the major component of cinnamon bark oil, which has been widely used as a flavoring agent in foodstuffs such as beverages and ice cream. In the present study, CNA was examined for its molecular modulation of inflammatory NF-kappaB activation via the redox-related NIK/IKK and MAPK pathways through the reduction of oxidative stress. Results show that age-related NF-kappaB activation upregulated NF-kappaB targeting genes, inflammatory iNOS, and COX-2, all of which were inhibited effectively by CNA. Our study further shows that CNA inhibited the activation of NF-kappaB via three signal transduction pathways, NIK/IKK, ERK, and p38 MAPK. Our results indicate that CNA's antioxidative effect and the restoration of redox balance were responsible for its anti-inflammatory action. Thus, the significance of the current study is the new information revealing the anti-inflammatory properties of CNA and the role it plays in the regulation of age-related alterations in signal transduction pathways.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, San 30, Jangjun-dong, Gumjung-gu, Busan 609-735, Korea.
authors.forename: Dae Hyun
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Chul Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Min-Sun
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ji Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kyung Jin
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Jae Heun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Won Gun
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Jae Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Byung Pal
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Hae Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000171:Acrolein / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000375:Aging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005421:Flavoring Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005421:Flavoring Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D000171:Acrolein; D051550:I-kappa B Kinase; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; C012843:cinnamaldehyde