title: Wheatgrass Extract Ameliorates Hypoxia-induced Mucin Gene Expression in A549 cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wheatgrass is known to have antioxidant, antiaging, and anti-inflammatory effect. However, its protective effect against hypoxia is not yet evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  In this study, we evaluated the protective and anti-inflammatory effect of wheatgrass against the hypoxia in airway epithelial cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  A549 human lung adenocarcinoma cells were incubated in a hypoxic condition (CO25%/O21%) for 24 hr in the presence of different concentration of wheatgrass 50, 75, 100, and 150 μg/mL, and the magnitude of each immunologic response produced by the A549 cells was compared. The mRNA expression level of mucin gene (MUC), 5A, 5B, 8, GM-CSF, TNF-α, and VEGF were evaluated by using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The MUC proteins level before and after knocking out the hypoxia-inducible factor (hif)-1α via short interfering (si) RNA transfection were assessed by immunoblot analysis. Accordingly, the involved cell signaling pathway was evaluated by immunoblot analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The inflammatory cytokines (GM-CSF, TNF- α) and the expressions of MUC 5A, 5B, and 8 were augmented by hypoxia. The augmented MUC expression was decreased by the wheatgrass extract administration. Hif-1α gene expression after hypoxia exposure was decreased by wheatgrass. Knockdown of hif-1α by siRNA reduced the mucin gene expression and which was more enhanced by wheatgrass extract.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Theses results suggest that wheatgrass may be useful in the treatment of sinonasal disease by inhibiting mucus hypersecretion in airway epithelium.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Wheatgrass extract decreases the hypoxia-induced MUC 5A, 5B and 8 expression.Hif-1α gene expression after hypoxia exposure was decreased by wheatgrass.Wheatgrass inhibits p44/42 phosphorylation in hypoxia-exposed airway epithelial cells.Abbreviations used:A549: human lung adenocarcinoma cells, GM-CSF: granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, HIF: hypoxia inducible factor, IL: interleukin, MUC: mucin, MTT: 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, TNF: tumor necrosis factors, VEGF: vascular endothelial growth factor, si RNA: short interfering RNA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ju Hwan
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Polymer Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Moon-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemical and Polymer Engineering, Chosun University, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyun-Jae
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chosun University College of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Eun
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Airway epithelium; VEGF; hypoxia; mucin; wheatgrass