title: eckol enhances heme oxygenase-1 expression through activation of Nrf2/JNK pathway in HepG2 cells.
abstract: Eckol isolated from Ecklonia stolonifera was previously reported to exhibit cytoprotective activity with its intrinsic antioxidant activity in in vitro studies. In this study, we characterized the mechanism underlying the eckol-mediated the expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). Eckol suppressed the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species and increased glutathione level in HepG2 cells. Eckol treatment enhanced the expression of HO-1 at the both level of protein and mRNA in HepG2 cells. Enhanced expression of HO-1 by eckol was presumed to be the activation of the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-like 2 (Nrf2) demonstrated by its nuclear translocation and increased transcriptional activity. c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNKs) and PI3K/Akt contributed to Nrf2-mediated HO-1 expression. These results demonstrate that the eckol-mediated expression of HO-1 in HepG2 cells is regulated by Nrf2 activation via JNK and PI3K/Akt signaling pathways, suggesting that eckol may be used as a natural antioxidant and cytoprotective agent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737, Korea. jyj0127@kgc.co.kr.
authors.forename: Young-Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737, Korea. mlee15@lsuhsc.edu.
authors.forename: Minsup
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Chonnam National University, Yeosu 550-749, Korea. shints@chonnam.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Taisun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Research Division, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 408-1 Sirang-ri, Gijang-eup, Busan 619-705, Korea. dbssud@korea.kr.
authors.forename: Nayoung
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Food Safety Research Division, National Fisheries Research and Development Institute, 408-1 Sirang-ri, Gijang-eup, Busan 619-705, Korea. hrkim@pknu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Ji-Hoe
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan 608-737, Korea. hrkim@pknu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hyeung-Rak
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D021581:Active Transport, Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004147:Dioxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic / Q000187:drug effects*; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects*; D015394:Molecular Structure; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004147:Dioxins; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; C060311:eckol; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt