title: Modified Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong prescription, a traditional Chinese polyherbal formula, suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammatory processes in rat astrocytes via NF-κB and JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathways.
abstract: Neuroinflammation plays an important role in several neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of modified Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong prescription (MWP), a traditional Chinese polyherbal formula, in primary cultured rat astrocytes treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results showed that MWP significantly inhibited release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E (PGE), as well as expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in LPS-induced rat astrocytes. Mechanism study indicated that MWP significantly inhibited nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) inflammatory signaling pathway through attenuating inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (IκB) degradation and down-regulating IκB kinases (IKKs) phosphorylation level. Moreover, MWP also decreased c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, which play an important role in the induction of proinflammatory gene expressions. At last, MWP protected neurons from LPS-activated astrocytes in neuron-astrocyte co-culture system. Taken together, our results suggest that MWP may act to suppress neuroinflammatory response in LPS-stimulated rat astrocytes via NF-κB and JNK/p38 MAPK signaling cascades, and MWP may be a useful agent for prevention and treatment of neuroinflammatory disease.
authors: Research Studio of Integration of Traditional and Western Medicine, First Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China.
authors: Ke-Wu
authors: KW
authors: Zeng
authors: Tai
authors: T
authors: Zhang
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Fu
authors: Geng-Xin
authors: GX
authors: Liu
authors: Xue-Mei
authors: XM
authors: Wang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001253:Astrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002470:Cell Survival; D018920:Coculture Techniques; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000276:immunology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000276:immunology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D061251:Primary Cell Culture; D011458:Prostaglandins E / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011458:Prostaglandins E; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D048051:p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases