Biomol Ther.  2016 Sep;24(5):543-551. 10.4062/biomolther.2015.205.

Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. Exerts Anti-Inflammatory Activity by Inhibiting NF-κB Activation in BV-2 Microglial Cells

• Kwon SH
• Ma SX
• Ko YH
• Seo JY
• Lee BR
• Lee TH
• Kim SY
• Lee SY
• Jang CG

• KMID: 2351680
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2015.205

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the pharmacological effects of Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb. methanol extract (VBME) on microglial activation and to identify the underlying mechanisms of action of these effects. The anti-inflammatory properties of VBME were studied using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV-2 microglial cells. We measured the production of nitric oxide (NO), inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as inflammatory parameters. We also examined the effect of VBME on intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and the activity of nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB p65). VBME significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of NO and PGE₂ and LPS-mediated upregulation of iNOS and COX-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner; importantly, VBME was not cytotoxic. VBME also significantly reduced the generation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6. In addition, VBME significantly dampened intracellular ROS production and suppressed NF-κB p65 translocation by blocking IκB-α phosphorylation and degradation in LPS-stimulated BV2 cells. Our findings indicate that VBME inhibits the production of inflammatory mediators in BV-2 microglial cells by suppressing NF-κB signaling. Thus, VBME may be useful in the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases due to its ability to inhibit inflammatory mediator production in activated BV-2 microglial cells.

Keyword

Vaccinium bracteatum Thunb; Anti-inflammatory activity; Nuclear factor-κB p65; Lipopolysaccharide; BV-2 microglial cells

MeSH Terms

Cytokines
Interleukin-1beta
Interleukin-6
Methanol
Neurodegenerative Diseases
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Phosphorylation
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
Reactive Oxygen Species
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
Up-Regulation
Vaccinium*
Cytokines
Interleukin-1beta
Interleukin-6
Methanol
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases
Reactive Oxygen Species
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha