Fruits extracts of Hovenia dulcis Thunb.suppresses lipopolysaccharide—stimulated inflammatory responses through nuclear factor—kappaB pathway in Raw 264.7 cells

Objective:To investigate the anti-inflammatory effects and the action mechanism of the fruits of Horenia dulcis(H.dulcis) in lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced mouse macrophage Raw 264.7cells.Methods:The extract of H.dulcis fruits(EHDF) were extracted with 70%ethanol.Mouse macrophages were treated with different concentrations of EHDF in the presence and absence of LPS(1 μg/mL).To demonstrate the inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide,inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase(COX)-2 expression levels were analyzed by usingin vitro assay systems.COX-derived pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1 β.tumor necrosis factor- α and prostaglandin F_2 were determined using ELISA kits.Cell viability,heme oxygenase-1 expression,nuclear factor-kappaB and nuclear factor F.2-related factors 2 translocation were also investigated.Results:EHDF potently inhibited the LPS-stimulated nitric oxide,inducible nitric oxide synthase.COX-2,interleukin-1 β and tumor necrosis factor- α expression in a dose-dependent manner.EHDF suppressed the phosphorylation of inhibited kappaB-alpha and p65 nuclear translocation.Treatment of macrophage cells with EHDF alone induced the heme oxygenase-1 and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor E2-reIated factor 2.Conclusions:These results suggest that the ethanol extract of H.dulcis fruit exerts its anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting inhibited kappaBalpha phorylation and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB.

Prostate cancer and chemoprevention by natural dietary phytochemicals

Prostate cancer is the second leading cancer among men in the United States. Several studies have correlated the development of prostate cancer with diet and life-style. Therefore, a balanced diet and improved life style might inhibit prostate cancer progression. Cancer chemoprevention has emerged as an important factor in controlling cancer development through natural or synthetic compounds. Oxidative stress is among the factors contributing to prostate cancer development. The transcription factor nuclear factor(erythroid-derived 2)-like 2(Nrf2) controls detoxifying antioxidant enzymes expression by binding to the antioxidant response element(ARE) in the promoter of these genes to activate their expression. Many natural products can fight oxidative stress and protects cells from DNA damage by activating the Nrf2/ARE pathway. High consumption of fruits and vegetables can reduce disease incidence and invasive tumors. In this review, the roles of important fruit and vegetable phytochemicals in regulating prostate cancer progression and tumor growth are discussed.

Ethanol Extract of Lycopodium serratum Thunb. Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced C6 Glioma Cells Migration via Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 Expression

Objectives： To elucidate how ethanol extract of L. serratum（ELS） could exert anti-migratory effects on glioma with the suppression of nuclear factor kappa B（NF-κB） downstream pathway. Methods： Cell viability of ELS on C6 glioma was detected by 3-（4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl）-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide（MTT） assay. Nitric oxide（NO） assay and 2＇,7＇-dichlorofluorescin diacetate（DCFH-DA） assay were applied to measure NO production and reactive oxygen species（ROS） generation on lipopolysaccharide（LPS）-induced C6 glioma cells. NF-κB, mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK）, inducible nictric oxide synthase（i NOS） and cyclooxygenase-2（COX-2） protein were determined by Western blot. Wound healing assay was used to investigate the inhibitory effect of ELS on fetal bovine serum（FBS）-induced migration and matrix metalloproteinase（MMP）-9 and-2 activity was examined by zymography. Results： ELS suppressed LPS-induced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase（ERK）, c-Jun N-terminal kinase（JNK）, and p38 through inhibiting the expression of chemokine CCL2（or monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1）. In addition, ELS inhibited the expression of i NOS, COX-2, and the production of NO by LPS in C6 glioma cells. ELS also significantly decreased serum-induced migration of C6 glioma cells in scratch wound healing in a dose-dependent manner（P〈0.01）. The activity of MMP-9 and-2 were also significantly attenuated by ELS with LPS treatment（P〈0.01）. Conclusion： Our results suggest that downregulation of MMP-9 gene expression might be involved in the anti-migration effect of ELS against LPS-induced C6 glioma cells.