title: Avicularin Inhibits Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammatory Response by Suppressing ERK Phosphorylation in RAW 264.7 Macrophages.
abstract: suppresAvicularin, quercetin-3-α-L-arabinofuranoside, has been reported to possess diverse pharmacological properties such as anti-inflammatory and anti-infectious effects. However, the underlying mechanism by which avicularin exerts its anti-inflammatory activity has not been clearly demonstrated. This study aimed to elucidate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of avicularin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Avicularin significantly inhibited LPS-induced excessive production of pro-inflammatory mediators such as nitric oxide (NO) and PGE2 and the protein levels of iNOS and COX-2, which are responsible for the production of NO and PGE2, respectively. Avicularin also suppressed LPS-induced overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β. Furthermore, avicularin significantly suppressed LPS-induced degradation of IκB, which retains NF-κB in the cytoplasm, consequently inhibiting the transcription of pro-inflammatory genes by NF-κB in the nucleus. To understand the underlying signaling mechanism of anti-inflammatory activity of avicularin, involvement of multiple kinases was examined. Avicularin significantly attenuated LPS-induced activation of ERK signaling pathway in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, the present study clearly demonstrates that avicularin exhibits anti-inflammatory activity through the suppression of ERK signaling pathway in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 200-701, Korea.
authors.forename: Van Anh
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Vo
authors.forename: Jae-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Ji-Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Nam-Ho
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Hee Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Sung-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Wanjoo
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chun
authors.forename: Yong-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kwon
keywords: Avicularin; COX-2; Lipopolysaccharide; NF-κB; RAW 264.7 cells; iNOS