title: Safflower Yellow regulates microglial polarization and inhibits inflammatory response in LPS-stimulated Bv2 cells.
abstract: Activated microglia, especially polarized M1 cells, produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and free radicals, thereby contributing directly to neuroinflammation and various brain disorders. Given that excessive or chronic neuroinflammation within the central nervous system (CNS) exacerbates neuronal damage, molecules that modulate neuroinflammation are candidates as neuroprotective agents. In this study, we provide evidence that Safflor yellow (SY), the main active component in the traditional Chinese medicine safflower, modulates inflammatory responses by acting directly on BV2 microglia. LPS stimulated BV2 cells to upregulate expression of TLR4-Myd88 and MAPK-NF-κB signaling pathways and to release IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and COX-2. However, SY treatment inhibited expression of TLR4-Myd88 and p-38/p-JNK-NF-κB, downregulated expression of iNOS, CD16/32, and IL-12, and upregulated CD206 and IL-10. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that SY exerts an anti-inflammatory effect on BV2 microglia, possibly through TLR-4/p-38/p-JNK/NF-κB signaling pathways and the conversion of microglia from inflammatory M1 to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype.
authors.affiliation: "2011" Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, PR China Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China.
authors.forename: Xing-Wang
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China.
authors.forename: Yan-Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China Department of Neurology, the First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.
authors.forename: Yong-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China Department of Neurology, the First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Bin
authors.initials: ZB
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China.
authors.forename: Jie-Zhong
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China.
authors.forename: Chun-Yun
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: "2011" Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Jian-Chun
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: "2011" Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei-Jia
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: "2011" Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, PR China.
authors.forename: Qian-Jin
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, PR China.
authors.forename: Bao-Guo
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.affiliation: "2011" Collaborative Innovation Center/Research Center of Neurobiology, Shanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, PR China Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, PR China Department of Neurology, the First Clinical Medical College, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, PR China macungen2001@163.com.
authors.forename: Cun-Gen
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016764:Cell Polarity; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002599:Chalcone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000502:physiology; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / Q000502:physiology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4 / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; C507779:MYD88 protein, human; D053594:Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88; D016328:NF-kappa B; C495345:TLR4 protein, human; D051197:Toll-Like Receptor 4; C076422:safflower yellow; D002599:Chalcone
keywords: BV2 cells; microglia polarization; neuroinflammation; safflower yellow