title: Anti-inflammatory effects of Zea mays L. husk extracts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Zea mays L. (Z. mays) has been used for human consumption in the various forms of meal, cooking oil, thickener in sauces and puddings, sweetener in processed food and beverage products, bio-disel. However, especially, in case of husk extract of Z. mays, little is known about its anti-inflammatory effects. Therefore, in this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of Z. mays husk extract (ZMHE) and its mechanisms of action were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The husks of Z. Mays were harvested in kangwondo, Korea. To assess the anti-inflammatory activities of ZMHE, we examined effects of ZMHE on nitric oxide (NO) production, and release of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and eotaxin-1. The expression level of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) gene was also determined by Western blot and luciferase reporter assays. To determine its mechanisms of action, a luciferase reporter assay for nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1) was introduced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ZMHE inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced production of NO in RAW264.7 cells. In addition, expression of iNOS gene was reduced, as confirmed by Western blot and luciferase reporter assays. Effects of ZMHE on the AP-1 and NF-kB promoters were examined to elucidate the mechanism of its anti-inflammatory activity. Activation of AP-1 and NF-kB promoters induced by LPS was significantly reduced by ZMHE treatment. In addition, LPS-induced production of sICAM-1 and IL-4-induced production of eotaxin-1 were all reduced by ZMHE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicate that ZMHE has anti-inflammatory effects by downregulating the expression of iNOS gene and its downregulation is mediated by inhibiting NF-kB and AP-1 signaling.
authors.affiliation: Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eines Platz 11th FL, 442-13 Sangdaewon Dong, Seoungnam City, 462-807, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung-Baeg
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.affiliation: Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eines Platz 11th FL, 442-13 Sangdaewon Dong, Seoungnam City, 462-807, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyoyoung
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eines Platz 11th FL, 442-13 Sangdaewon Dong, Seoungnam City, 462-807, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Seungwoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eines Platz 11th FL, 442-13 Sangdaewon Dong, Seoungnam City, 462-807, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eines Platz 11th FL, 442-13 Sangdaewon Dong, Seoungnam City, 462-807, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Jung-A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066 Seobu Ro, Suwon City, 164-19, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Ok
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eines Platz 11th FL, 442-13 Sangdaewon Dong, Seoungnam City, 462-807, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea. bioso@biospectrum.com.
authors.forename: Eunsun
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University, 2066 Seobu Ro, Suwon City, 164-19, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea. bioneer@skku.edu.
authors.forename: Jongsung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Biospectrum Life Science Institute, Eines Platz 11th FL, 442-13 Sangdaewon Dong, Seoungnam City, 462-807, Gyeonggi Do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Deokhoon
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000378:metabolism; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000067996:RAW 264.7 Cells; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D016328:NF-kappa B; D010936:Plant Extracts; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D018799:Intercellular Adhesion Molecule-1; D052247:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2
keywords: AP-1; COX-2; ICAM-1; NF-kB; Zea mays L; iNOS