Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a lipid messenger mediated by G protein-coupled receptors (LPAR1-6). It is involved in the pathogenesis of certain chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. In addition, it controls the self-renewal and differentiation of stem cells. Recent research has demonstrated the close relationship between periodontitis and various diseases in the human body. However, the precise role of LPA in the development of periodontitis has not been studied. We identified that LPAR1 was highly expressed in human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs). In periodontitis-mimicking conditions with Porphyromonas gingivalis -derived lipopolysaccharide (Pg-LPS) treatment, PDLSCs exhibited a considerable reduction in the cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation potential, in addition to an increase in the inflammatory responses including tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β expression and nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) activation. Of the various LPAR antagonists, pre-treatment with AM095, an LPAR1 inhibitor, showed a positive effect on the restoration of cellular viability and osteogenic differentiation, accompanied by a decrease in NF-κB signaling, and action against Pg-LPS. These findings suggest that the modulation of LPAR1 activity will assist in checking the progression of periodontitis and in its treatment.

Periodontitis is an inflammatory disease of the supportive tissues surrounding the teeth, and is characterized by irreversible destruction of the gingiva, periodontal ligament (PDL), and alveolar bone, which results in the loss of teeth. In the present study, we elucidated the correlation between periodontitis and apelin (APLN), an adipokine and a regulatory peptide, respectively, which are involved in inflammation and bone remodeling. The expression of APLN is negatively correlated with periodontitis progression in gingival tissue. In addition, treatment with TNF-α downregulated the expression of APLN in PDL cells and gingival fibroblasts, indicating the protective role played by APLN against periodontitis progression. The overexpression of APLN or treatment with exogenous APLN suppressed the TNF-α- mediated catabolic gene expression of MMP1, IL6 , and PTGS2 in PDL cells. Moreover, the inhibition of the APLNAPJ axis by ML221, an APJ inhibitor, induced catabolic gene expression in PDL cells. Thus, the results of this study provided evidence to support APLN as a regulatory factor of the inflammatory response during periodontitis.

본 연구는 홍삼추출물의 화장품소재로서의 항염증 효과의 가능성을 확인하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 본 연구에서는 홍삼 추출물을 사용하여 항염증에 대한 생물학적 활성평가를 수행하였다. 대식세포인 RAW 264.7 세포에서 시료의 항염증 효과를 평가하기 위해 MTT assay를 이용한 홍삼 추출물의 독성평가와 nitric oxide 생성 저해 활성 및 염증관련 단백질 및 유전자의 발현량을 확인하였다. LPS로 유도된 RAW 264.7 세포 내에서 시료의 nitric oxide 저해활성은 25 μg/ml에서 71.2 %의 우수한 효능을 나타내었으며, western blot 시험결과 iNOS, COX-2 단백질의 발현은 농도 의존적으로 감소하는 것으로 확인하였다. 이러한 실험 결과를 바탕으로 홍삼추출물이 항염 효과를 가진 화장품 소재로서의 가치를 제안할 수 있다.

Arthrospira platensis has been reported to contain a variety of substances such as phycocyanin, β-carotene, vitamin E and other carotenoids. In this study, zebrafish were treated with indoor cultivation spirulina ethanol extracts(ICAE) to determine toxicity(coagulation rate, hatching rate, heart rate). We used the DCFH-DA staining method to detect the effect of reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced zebrafish embryos ROS various concentrations(0.01, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5mg/ml) of ICAE. Cell toxicity was measured by WST-1 assay on RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. Also, measured the inhibitory effect of nitric oxide(NO) and prostaglandin E₂(PGE₂) production in RAW264.7 macrophages induced by LPS at various concentrations of ICAE. The results of embryo coagulation rate, hatching rate, heart rate of zebrafish at various(0.01, 0.05, 0.1mg/ml) of ICAE was no toxicity. The ICAE treated group had an inhibitory effect on NO and PGE₂ production compared and decreased with concentration. The results of this study ethanol extract of Arthrospira platensis has an anti-inflammatory effect and suggest that is worthy of use cosmetics for skin protection.

Bee venom, which serves as a weapon to defend the colony from predator attacks, induces an immediate local inflammatory response that causes acute redness and swelling at the site of the sting. This venom-induced inflammation is a rapid anti-predatory defense strategy of the bee against vertebrate predators. Although acute inflammation by venom from venomous arthropods, including bees, is a typical response, how venom acutely elicits inflammatory responses remains unknown. Here, we identify a novel mechanism underlying acute inflammation and provide a rationale for the presence of superoxide dismutase (SOD3) in bee venom. In mouse models, paradoxically, SOD3 in bee venom (bvSOD3) acts as a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-based harm-inducing system to promote acute inflammation. Exogenous bvSOD3 rapidly induced overproduction of H2O2 through endogenously produced superoxide by venom components, such as melittin and phospholipase A2 (PLA2), which then upregulated the expression of proinflammatory genes and promoted the acute inflammatory response. Furthermore, a more severe noxious effect by bvSOD3 elevated a type 2 immune response, and bvSOD3 immunization protected against bvSOD3-mediated toxicity. Our findings that bvSOD3 promotes an acute inflammatory response and induces a protective immune response against inflammation may offer a new approach in venom therapy/immunotherapy.

breakdown of tooth-supporting tissues, producing dentition loss. Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis), a Gramnegative anaerobic rod, is one of the major pathogens associated with periodontitis. Neutrophils are first line defense cells in the oral cavity that play a significant role in inflammatory response. Xylitol is a known anti-caries agent and has anti-inflammatory effects. In this study, we conducted experiments to evaluate anti-inflammatory effects of xylitol on P. gingivalis infected neutrophils for possible usage in prevention and treatment of periodontal infections. P. gingivalis was intraperitoneally injected and peritoneal lavage was collected for cytokine determination. For in vitro study, neutrophils were collected from mouse peritoneal cells after zymosan injection or bone marrow cells. Neutrophils were stimulated with live P. gingivalis and ELISA was used to determine the effect of xylitol on P. gingivalis induced cytokine production. IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α concentration and neutrophil population in the peritoneal lavage was increased in P. gingivalis-infected mouse. Peritoneal cells infected with live P. gingivalis revealed significantly increased production of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α at multiplicity of infection of 10. Neutrophils from bone marrow and peritoneal lavage revealed increased production of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α. Xylitol significantly mitigated P. gingivalis induced cytokine production in neutrophils. Findings indicate that xylitol is an anti-inflammatory agent in neutrophils infected with live P. gingivalis, that suggests its use in periodontitis management.

This study evaluated the effect of reduced glutathione (GSH) for the reduction of stress and inflammatory response in calves inoculated with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) vaccine. Twenty-five calves were divided into five groups of 5 calves. The negative control (NC) did not receive any vaccination or drug treatment. The positive control (PC), GSH-25, GSH-50 and GSH-100 were intramuscularly injected with GSH at concentrations of 0, 25, 50 and 100 mg / 10 kg body weight (BW), respectively, for 3 days after FMD vaccination. On day 3, 5 and 7 post-treatment, the serum cortisol and tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF-α) levels in GSH-50 and GSH-100 were significantly decreased compared with those in PC (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the serum cortisol and TNF-α levels between GSH-100 and NC 3 and 5 days post-treatment, and between GSH-50, GSH-100, and NC 7 days post-treatment. The results from this study suggest that treatment of 50 mg / 10 kg BW GSH for 3 days is useful for the reduction of stress and inflammatory response caused by FMD vaccination in calves.

Transglutaminase2 (TGM2) is a multi-functional calcium dependent enzyme that affects angiogenesis, apoptosis, differentiation, attachment, and changes in the extracellular matrix. However, its function in periodontal tissue has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the association of the TGM2 expression and the modulation of inflammatory mediators in inflamed periodontal ligament (PDL) cells induced by pro-inflammatory cytokines such as Interleukin-1β and the Tumor necrosis factor-α. The expression of TGM2 was increased in the inflamed periodontal tissue and PDL cells. Over-expressed TGM2 in the PDL cells increased expression of MMP1, MMP3, IL-6, CXCL8, and PTGS2. Conversely, inhibition of TGM2 activity using LDN27219, a TGM2 inhibitor, resulted in decreased expression of MMP1, MMP3, IL-6, and CXCL8. The mRNA expression was confirmed by RT-PCR and quantified by qRT-PCR. Protein levels were also confirmed by immunofluoroscence staining. These results suggest that TGM2 plays an important role in the regulation of inflammatory mediators which exacerbate tissue damage in inflamed periodontal tissue.

Background : Ganoderma lucidum is a non-toxic, medicinal mushroom, which is known to possess anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating activities. However, the effects and mechanism of action of Ganoderma lucidum on lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and its-related cytokine expression are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Ganoderma lucidum on NO production and NO-mediated pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in LPS/IFN-γ-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells. Methods and Results : The results showed that Ganoderma lucidum inhibited inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression of RAW 264.7 macrophage-like cells at non-cytotoxic concentrations probably through the reduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. After pre-treatment of cells with non-toxic doses of Ganoderma lucidum; NO production was significantly decreased. Moreover, Ganoderma lucidum treatment suppressed LPS/IFN-γ -stimulated pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion, including interleukin-1β and interleukin-6, in a dose-dependent manner. Conclusion : Taken together, these results indicate that the anti-inflammatory activation of Ganoderma lucidum in LPS/IFN-γ-stimulated macrophages might be due to abrogation of NO-dependent cytokine release by impairment of iNOS expression via ROS generation.

This study measured the plasma and liver concentrations of cytokines, the distribution of blood lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4 and CD8), plasma levels of nitrite (NO3 –) and nitrate (NO2 –), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 (CINC-1), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and peritoneal lavage fluid (PLF) levels of monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and CINC-1 in order to examine the anti-inflammatory activity of the cinnamon extract in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-exposed rats. The plasma concentrations of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were lower in the cinnamon extract groups than in the control group at both 2 and 5 h after LPS injection. Furthermore, the liver concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α were lower in the cinnamon extract groups than in the control group at 5 h after LPS injection. Plasma IL-10 concentrations were higher in the cinnamon extract groups than in the control group at both 2 and 5 h after LPS injection, and liver concentrations of IL-10 did not differ significantly among all treatment groups at 5 h after LPS injection. The distribution of CD4 tended to increase, and that of CD8 tended to decrease in the cinnamon extract groups. The CD4/CD8 ratio was increased in the cinnamon extract groups. The plasma concentrations of NO3 –/NO2 –, ICAM-1, CINC-1, and PGE2 and the PLF concentrations of MCP-1 and CINC-1 exhibited a tendency to decrease in the cinnamon extract groups. These results indicate that cinnamon extract can exert functional anti-inflammatory effects.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the beneficial effects of Eriobotryae Folium on diabetic improvement through oxidative stress and inflammation in the liver of type 2 diabetic db/db mice. Eriobotryae Folium extract (100 or 200 mg/kg body weight, p.o) was administrated everyday for 3 weeks. And then, its effect was assessed on comparison with vehicle-treated db/db and non-diabetic m/m mice. Serum glucose and hepatic tissue biochemical factors and protein expression related with oxidative stress and inflammation such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase were measured. As a result, the administration of Eriobotryae Folium decreased body and liver weight, food intake in vehicle-treated db/db. Also, serum glucose was lowered by Eriobotryae Folium treatment. Eriobotryae Folium administration decreased oxidative stress through the down-regulation of ROS and NADPH oxidase subunit proteins, NOX-4 and p47 phox .Moreover,theincreaseofinflammatoryproteinssuchasinduciblenitricoxidesynthase(iNO S),cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2),tumornecrosisfactoralpha(TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) on vehicle-treated db/db were significantly decreased through down-regulation nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and activator pretoein-1 (AP-1) via reduction of oxidative stress. Therefore, hepatic functional parameters such as alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase significantly decreased. In conclusion, Eriobotryae Folium extract could have hepato-protective effect through down-regulation of abnormal NADPH oxidase subunit and the oxidative stress in type 2 diabetic db/db mice.

In the present study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects by Alopecurus aequalis Sobol on thelipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production by RAW 264.7 cell line. Consistent with these observations,DS reduced the LPS-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) atthe protein levels in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, the release of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) andinterleukin-6 (IL-6) were also reduced by DS. Moreover, LPS increased expression phosphorylation of IκBα, but DS showedinhibitory effect by reducing LPS-inducible p-IκBα expression level. These results suggest that the down regulation of iNOS,COX-2, TNF-α, and IL-6 expression by DS are achieved by the downregulation of NF-κB activity, a transcription factornecessary for pro-inflammatory mediators, and that is also responsible for its anti-inflammatory effects.

부화 초기의 육계 병아리에게 천화분추출물을 급여한 후, LPS 처리에 의한 염증유도로 천화분추출물이 염증반응에 미치는 영향을 검토했다. 각 처리군 별 혈장 ceruloplasmin 및 α-산성단백 농도의 경시적 변동경향은 전 처리군 동일하게 LPS 처리 후 증가하였다. 그러나 각 처리군 별 농도는 LPS 처리 후 3h, 9h 및 24h째 모두에서 천화분 추출물의 첨가량이 증가함에 따라 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 혈장 일산화질소 농도는 전 처리군 모두가 LPS 처리 후, 3h째에 급격하게 증가하였다. 각 처리군 별 수치는 LPS 처리 후, 3h 및 9h째 모두에서 천화분 추출물의 첨가량이 증가함에 따라 하락했다. LPS 처리 후, 간장 내의 IL-2 mRNA량은 모든 처리군들이 동일하게 2h째에 급격한 증가 현상을 보였다가, 그 후 점진적으로 하락하여 9h째에는 LPS처리 전 수준으로 회복했다. 각 처리군 별 경시적 변동 경향은 LPS 처리 후, 2h, 3h 및 4h째에서 천화분 첨가군 모두가 대조군보다 낮은 값을 보였다. LPS 처리 후, 비장 내의 IL-2 mRNA 량은 모든 처리군 들이 4h째에서 가장 높은 수치를 보였다. 처리군 별 변동 값은 천화분 0.2% 및 0.3%첨가군들이 LPS 처리 후, 3h 및 4h에서 대조군과 0.1% 천화분 첨가군들보다 높은 수치를 나타내었다. LPS 처리 후, 간장 및 비장내의 IFN-γ mRNA량은 모든 처리군들이 LPS 처리 후, 2h 및 3h째까지 증가하였으나, 4h에서 하락하여, 9h째에서는 LPS 처리 전 수준으로 하락했다. 그러나 각 처리군별 경시적 변동치는 최고치를 나타낸 LPS 처리 후 2h 및 3h에서, 천화분 추출물 첨가량이 증가함에 따라 하락하였다. LPS 처리 후, 간장 및 비장 내의 iNOS mRNA량은 전 처리군이 3h째에서 가장 높은 수치를 나타내었으며, 9h째에서 LPS 처리 전 수준으로 회복되었다. 처리군별 2h째, 3h째 및 4h째의 수치는 천화분 추출물 첨가군이 대조군보다 낮은 수치를 나타내었다.

Paeoniae Radix Rubra is a preparation consisting of desiccated roots of Paeonia lactiflora PALL (belonging to Ranunculaceae). Paeoniae Radix Rubra is used as a medicinal herb in Asian countries to treat many diseases. Ethanol- or water-based extracts of Paeoniae Radix Rubra were prepared and tested on RAW 264.7 cells, a murine macrophage cell line. The expression of some pro-inflammatory proteins, including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and phosphorylated ERK1/2 was detected by Western blot analyses, while PGE2 expression was quantified by ELISA. Both the water and ethanol extracts of Paeoniae Radix Rubra suppressed LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production and exhibited cell toxicity in accordance with increased NO production. Also, both extracts reduced the expression of COX-2 and iNOS, and inhibited phosphorylation of ERK1/2 in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Extracts prepared from Paeoniae Radix Rubra contain anti-inflammatory agents that inhibit the iNOS and MAPK pathways.