Dexamethasone protects RAW264.7 macrophages from growth arrest and apoptosis induced by H2O2 through alteration of gene expression patterns and inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity.
In this study, the effect of dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid, on H(2)O(2) stimulated murine RAW264.7 macrophages was investigated. It was found that dexamethasone protected the cells from apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2). A cDNA microarray, which consists of 1000 genes selected from a mouse clone set provided from NIA, was used to study the gene expression profiles involved in the protective effect. Our data show that dexamethasone exerts the anti-apoptosis function by changing the expression patterns of many genes involved inhibiting the up-regulation of apoptosis promoting genes and the down-regulation of cell cycle stimulating genes as well as keeping the up-regulation of cell survival related genes. Our study also revealed that dexamethasone protects RAW264.7 macrophages from H(2)O(2) induced apoptosis through blocking nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activity.
Fong
Chi-Chun
CC
Department of Biology and Chemistry, and Applied Research Centre for Genomics Technology, City University of Hong Kong, 83 Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Zhang
Yaou
Y
Zhang
Qi
Q
Tzang
Chi-Hung
CH
Fong
Wang-Fun
WF
Wu
Rodulf S S
RS
Yang
Mengsu
M
D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015536:Down-Regulation; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D008264:Macrophages; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D016877:Oxidants / Q000633:toxicity*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D016877:Oxidants; D020011:Protective Agents; D003907:Dexamethasone; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide