Apigenin inhibits the production of NO and PGE2 in microglia and inhibits neuronal cell death in a middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced focal ischemia mice model.
Flavonoids have been intensively studied on their pharmacological activities such as anti-cancer, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammation. However, little is known about their neuroprotective effects. Recent studies suggest that inflammation mediated by microglia may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory effect of various flavonoid compounds by using BV-2, a murine microglia cell line. Of the compounds that were evaluated, apigenin inhibited the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E(2) by suppressing the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 protein, respectively. Moreover, apigenin suppressed p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation without affecting the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Apigenin was also found to protect neuronal cells from injury in middle cerebral artery occlusion.
Graduate School of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, #1 Seocheon-dong, Kihung-ku, Yongin-City, Kyungki-Do 449-701, Republic of Korea.
Sang Keun
SK
Ha
Pyeongjae
P
Lee
Jeong A
JA
Park
Hye Rim
HR
Oh
Sang Yeon
SY
Lee
Ji-Ho
JH
Park
Eunjoo H
EH
Lee
Jong Hoon
JH
Ryu
Kang Ro
KR
Lee
Sun Yeou
SY
Kim
D000818:Animals; D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000473:pathology*; D016923:Cell Death / Q000187:drug effects*; D002460:Cell Line; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism
D005419:Flavonoids; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D047310:Apigenin; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D015232:Dinoprostone