title: Cucurbitacin B inhibits immunomodulatory function and the inflammatory response in macrophages.
abstract: Cucurbitacin B (CuB) is a triterpenoid that is widely distributed in the plant kingdom and has a variety of biological activities. However, the immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects of CuB have not been well characterized. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of CuB on parameters related to antigen presentation and T-cell activation. Specifically, we examined the effects of CuB on basal and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of class I and II MHC molecules, CD40, CD54, CD80, and CD86 in peritoneal macrophages. The LPS-a expression of MHC II, CD40, CD54, and CD80 was significantly attenuated by CuB. However, expression levels of MHC I and CD86 were not changed by CuB. CuB inhibited the production of intracellular reactive oxygen species induced by LPS and blocked the LPS-activated release of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12, and IL-1β, without any cytotoxicity. Consistent with this, CuB also reduced the expression levels of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2 induced by LPS. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the anti-inflammatory effects of CuB were dependent on the induction of heme oxygenase-1 expression via Nrf2 activation. Taken together, these data indicate that CuB possesses immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, and it may be used as an effective herbal remedy for the treatment and prevention of inflammation.
authors.affiliation: a Bio-IT Fusion Technology Research Institute , Busan , Korea .
authors.forename: Minju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: a Bio-IT Fusion Technology Research Institute , Busan , Korea .
authors.forename: Sun Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: a Bio-IT Fusion Technology Research Institute , Busan , Korea .
authors.forename: Mei Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: a Bio-IT Fusion Technology Research Institute , Busan , Korea .|b Department of Nanomaterials Engineering , and.
authors.forename: Geuntae
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: c Department of Life Science and Environmental Biochemistry , Pusan National University , Busan , Korea.
authors.forename: Hong-Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Son
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II / Q000276:immunology; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000633:toxicity; D017737:Macrophages, Peritoneal / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D014315:Triterpenes / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D000949:Histocompatibility Antigens Class II; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D014315:Triterpenes; C041246:cucurbitacin B
keywords: Cucurbitacin B; MHC II; Nrf2; heme oxygenase-1; macrophage