title: Toluhydroquinone from Aspergillus sp. suppress inflammatory mediators via nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinases pathways in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study is to investigate anti-inflammatory effects of toluhydroquinone in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Toluhydroquinone was purified from a fungal strain, Aspergillus sp. We investigated that levels of nitric oxide (NO) using Griess reagent, production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) and pro-inflammatory cytokines using ELISA assay. We conducted Western blot analysis to investigate regulatory effects of toluhydroquinone on expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxyganse-2 (COX-2), nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. The translocation of NF-κB was detected by immunofluorescence staining.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Toluhydroquinone inhibited production of NO and PGE2 via suppressing protein expression of iNOS and COX-2, respectively. Secretion and expression of inflammatory cytokines were down-regulated by toluhydroquinone as well. Toluhydroquinone reduced phosphorylation of Akt, NF-κB and MAPKs. Moreover, toluhydroquinone inhibited translocation of NF-κB from the cytosol into the nucleus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We revealed that inhibitory effects of toluhydroquinone on expression of inflammatory mediators are induced through inactivation of Akt, NF-κB and MAPKs. Thus, our results suggest that toluhydroquinone may be used for a potential anti-inflammatory reagent.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Sciences, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dukhyun
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Byeng-Wha
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Son
authors.affiliation: Rural Development Administration, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science, Suwon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Pyung-Gyun
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Sue
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Institute of Fisheries Science, College of Fisheries Science, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Bae
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Sciences, Pukyong National University, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Gun-Do
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002460:Cell Line; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008264:Macrophages / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism*; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016227:Benzoquinones; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C004532:quinone; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D015232:Dinoprostone
keywords: MAPKs; NF-κB; RAW264.7 cells; anti-inflammatory effects; toluhydroquinone