title: Antcin A, a steroid-like compound from Antrodia camphorata, exerts anti-inflammatory effect via mimicking glucocorticoids.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the active ingredient of Niuchangchih (Antrodia camphorata) responsible for its anti-inflammatory effects and the relevant molecular mechanisms.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five major antcins (A, B, C, H, and K) were isolated from fruiting bodies of Niuchangchih. Structural similarity between the antcins and 2 glucocorticoids (cortisone and dexamethasone) was compared. After incubation with each compound, the cytosolic glucocorticoid receptor (GR) was examined for its migration into the nucleus. Mo lecular docking was performed to model the tertiary structure of GR associated with antcins.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Incubation with cortisone, dexamethasone or antcin A (but not antcins B, C, H, and K) led to the migration of glucocorticoid receptor into the nucleus. The minimal concentration of antcin A, cortisone and dexamethasone to induce nuclear migration of glucocorticoid receptor was 10, 1, and 0.1 mol/L, respectively. The results are in agreement with the simulated binding affinity scores of these three ligands docking to the glucocorticoid receptor. Molecular modeling indicates that C-7 of antcin A or glucocorticoids is exposed to a hydrophobic region in the binding cavity of the glucocorticoid receptor, and the attachment of a hydrophilic group to C-7 of the other four antcins presumably results in their being expelled when docking to the cavity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The anti-inflammatory effect of Niuchangchih is, at least, partly attributed to antcin A that mimics glucocorticoids and triggers translocation of glucocorticoid receptor into nucleus to initiate the suppressing inflammation.
authors: Graduate Institute of Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung 40227, Taiwan, China.
authors: Yi-ching
authors: YC
authors: Chen
authors: Ya-lin
authors: YL
authors: Liu
authors: Feng-yin
authors: FY
authors: Li
authors: Chi-I
authors: CI
authors: Chang
authors: Sheng-yang
authors: SY
authors: Wang
authors: Kuo-yang
authors: KY
authors: Lee
authors: Shun-lai
authors: SL
authors: Li
authors: Yi-peng
authors: YP
authors: Chen
authors: Tzyy-rong
authors: TR
authors: Jinn
authors: Jason T C
authors: JT
authors: Tzen
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