title: It Is Not Just Folklore: The Aqueous Extract of Mung Bean Coat Is Protective against Sepsis.
abstract: Mung bean (Vigna Radiata) has been traditionally used in China both as nutritional food and herbal medicine against a number of inflammatory conditions since the 1050s. A nucleosomal protein, HMGB1, has recently been established as a late mediator of lethal systemic inflammation with a relatively wider therapeutic window for pharmacological interventions. Here we explored the HMGB1-inhibiting capacity and therapeutic potential of mung bean coat (MBC) extract in vitro and in vivo. We found that MBC extract dose-dependently attenuated LPS-induced release of HMGB1 and several chemokines in macrophage cultures. Oral administration of MBC extract significantly increased animal survival rates from 29.4% (in saline group, N = 17 mice) to 70% (in experimental MBC extract group, N = 17 mice, P < 0.05). In vitro, MBC extract stimulated HMGB1 protein aggregation and facilitated both the formation of microtubule-associatedprotein-1-light-chain-3-(LC3-)containing cytoplasmic vesicles, and the production of LC3-II in macrophage cultures. Consequently, MBC extract treatment led to reduction of cellular HMGB1 levels in macrophage cultures, which was impaired by coaddition of two autophagy inhibitors (bafilomycin A1 and 3-methyladenine). Conclusion. MBC extract is protective against lethal sepsis possibly by stimulating autophagic HMGB1 degradation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Emergency Medicine, The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, 350 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA ; Department of Emergency Medicine, North Shore University Hospital, The Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine at the Hofstra University, Manhasset, NY 11030, USA.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jianhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Arvin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jundoria
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Sama
authors.forename: Haichao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang