title: Anti-inflammatory effects of arbutin in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated BV2 microglial cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Arbutin, which is found in the genus Arctostaphylos, is an anti-oxidant and a depigmenting agent. The present study was designed to validate the anti-inflammatory effect of arbutin.
  
  
  METHODS
  The anti-inflammatory properties of arbutin were studied using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated murine BV2 microglial cells model. As inflammatory parameters, the production of nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) were evaluated. We also examined the expression of ninjurin1 (Ninj1) and the adhesion activity of BV2 cells. Finally, we analyzed the activation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Arbutin suppressed LPS-induced production of NO and expression of iNOS and COX-2 in a dose-dependent manner without causing cellular toxicity. Arbutin also significantly reduced generation of proinflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β and TNF-α, and other inflammation-related genes such as MCP-1 and IL-6. Additionally, arbutin suppressed the adhesion activity of BV2 cells and the expression of an important adhesion molecule, Ninj1, in LPS-stimulated murine BV2 cells. Furthermore, arbutin inhibited nuclear translocation and the transcriptional activity of NF-κB.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Taken together, our results suggest that arbutin might be useful for treating the inflammatory and deleterious effects of BV2 microglial cells activation in response to LPS stimulation.
authors.affiliation: College of Pharmacy, Inje University, Gimhae, Gyungnam, South Korea. hjlee@inje.ac.kr
authors.forename: Hyo-Jong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Kyu-Won
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001104:Arbutin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002448:Cell Adhesion / Q000187:drug effects; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics; D016207:Cytokines / Q000235:genetics; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D051379:Mice; D017628:Microglia; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000235:genetics; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D015816:Cell Adhesion Molecules, Neuronal; D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; C484439:Ninj1 protein, mouse; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001104:Arbutin; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse; C077623:Ptgs2 protein, mouse; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2