title: Nitric oxide and interleukins are involved in cell proliferation of RAW264.7 macrophages activated by viili exopolysaccharides.
abstract: Viili has been traditionally regarded as healthy food; viili exopolysaccharides (VEPS) function as antioxidants, but the molecular and cellular mechanisms, especially its immune functions, remain largely unclear. To assess VEPS's immunological roles, VEPS were separated by Sevage's method and purified by anion exchange chromatography. Cell proliferation, phagocytosis, releases of nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6, the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene expression by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and iNOS protein by Western blotting, and morphology by scanning electron microscopy in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)/VEPS-stimulated and non-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages were analyzed. VEPS increased cell proliferation at 50-200 μg/mL. The uptake of neutral red for the indication of phagocytosis and releases of NO, IL-6, and IL-1β were enhanced after exposure to LPS and VEPS. Gene expressions of iNOS, IL-6, and IL-1β and protein expressions of iNOS were increased with VEPS. The RAW264.7 cell treated with VEPS became flattened, a strong indication of the activation of macrophages. We concluded that VEPS promoted the activation of macrophages in which NO, IL-6, and IL-1β were involved; the release of NO and other cytokines may eventually activate lymphocytes, increasing nonspecific (innate) and specific immunity in humans.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, Ministry of Education, College of Food Engineering and Biotechnology, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, No. 29, 13th Avenue, TEDA, Tianjin, 300457, China.
authors.forename: Junhua
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Mengxian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: An
authors.forename: Jinlu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jingkai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Meiling
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Weigang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Dequan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Zhenjing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D015870:Gene Expression; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D008262:Macrophage Activation; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000276:immunology; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D015014:Yogurt
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial; C411814:Viilian; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; C496317:Nos2 protein, mouse