title: Inhibitory effect of Thuja orientalis on TNF-α-induced vascular inflammation.
abstract: Vascular inflammation is involved in the initiation and progression of vascular diseases including atherosclerosis. While conducting in vitro screening of 600 medicinal plant extracts, an aqueous extract of Thuja orientalis (ATO) was found to exhibit antiinflammatory activity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). In the current study, the antiinflammatory activity of ATO and possible mechanisms for this were investigated in HUVEC. Preincubation with ATO (20 μg/mL) suppressed tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced expression of adhesion molecules including intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) and E-selectin at both the protein and mRNA levels. ATO also inhibited U937 monocyte adhesion to HUVEC stimulated by TNF-α. In addition, ATO attenuated TNF-α-induced p65 NF-κB translocation into the nucleus and phosphorylation of IκB-α. Furthermore, ATO significantly inhibited TNF-α-induced intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Overall, the present data suggest that ATO can suppress TNF-α-induced vascular inflammatory processes, possibly via inhibition of ROS and NF-κB activation, in HUVEC.
authors.affiliation: Professional Graduate School of Oriental Medicine, Hanbang Body-fluid Research Center, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Chonbuk 570-749, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yun Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sun Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: Jung Joo
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: So Min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Ho
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Kyung
authors.forename: Jin Sook
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae Gill
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Ho Sub
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000378:metabolism; D042783:Endothelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D029783:Thuja / Q000737:chemistry*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology; D020298:U937 Cells; D014471:Umbilical Veins / Q000166:cytology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha