title: Effect of cinnamon water extract on monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and scavenger receptor activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Water soluble cinnamon extract has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and modulate macrophage activation, a desirable trait for the management of obesity or atherosclerosis. Our present study investigated whether cinnamon water extract (CWE) may influence the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages and the activity of macrophage scavenger receptors, commonly observed in atherosclerotic lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the effect of CWE on the expression of various surface markers and the uptake of acetylated low density lipoprotein (LDL) in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated THP-1 cells. The protein levels of PMA or macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF)-stimulated type 1 macrophage scavenger receptor (SRA) were analyzed. Finally, the role of extracellar signal-related kinase (ERK) 1/2 in SRA synthesis and the effect of CWE on PMA-stimulated ERK1/2 were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CWE inhibited the differentiation of monocyte by decreasing the expression of CD11b, CD36 and SRA and the uptake of acetyl LDL. CWE suppressed the upregulation of SRA by M-CSF and modulated ERK1/2 activity, which was required for PMA-induced SRA synthesis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results demonstrate that CWE was able to interfere with monocyte differentiation and macrophage scavenger activity, indicating its potential in preventing the development of atherosclerotic lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of East-west Medical Science, Graduate School of East-west Medical Science, KyungHee University, Yongin, South Korea. shehee@khu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hee
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Sung-Hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jeong-Moon
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Yun
authors.forename: Tae-Gyu
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Young-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dae-Ok
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Youn Jung
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002935:Cinnamomum zeylanicum / Q000737:chemistry*; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009000:Monocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D051116:Receptors, Scavenger