title: Amino acids exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in human monocytic leukemia cell line, THP-1 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The elemental diet is one of the effective therapies for inflammatory bowel disease. However, the mechanism remains unclear, and there have never been reports about the inhibitory effects of amino acids in human monocytes/macrophages. We investigated the inhibitory effects of amino acids on cytokine production or expression of adhesion molecules that are involved in inflammatory diseases, in human monocytes/macrophages.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examined the inhibitory effects of cysteine, histidine or glycine on the induction of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation, expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1, CD54) and production of interleukin-8 (IL-8) in THP-1 cells, a human monocytic leukemia cell line, and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cysteine, histidine and glycine significantly reduced the activation of NF-κB in THP-1 cells stimulated with TNF-α. In addition, cysteine and histidine significantly inhibited the expression of ICAM-1 and production of IL-8 in THP-1 cells and PBMCs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that cysteine and histidine exhibit anti-inflammatory effects in THP-1 cells, and may be responsible for the efficacy of treatment in inflammatory bowel diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Yamaguchi University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-1-1 Minamikogushi, Ube, Yamaguchi, 755-8505, Japan. shunji@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Shunji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hasegawa
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ichiyama
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sonaka
authors.forename: Ayami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohsaki
authors.forename: Reiji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Haneda
authors.forename: Reiji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fukano
authors.forename: Masami
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Furukawa
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000096:biosynthesis; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism; D007948:Leukemia, Monocytic, Acute / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000166:cytology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000378:metabolism; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D016209:Interleukin-8; D016328:NF-kappa B; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1