Anti-inflammatory effect of sinomenine by inhibition of pro-inflammatory mediators in PMA plus A23187-stimulated HMC-1 Cells

Y.C. Oh 1,3, O.H. Kang 1, S.B. Kim 1, S.H. Mun 1, C.B. Park 2, Y.G. Kim 2, Y.I. Kim 2, Y.S. Lee 2, S.H. Han 2, J.H. Keum 1, D.W. Shin 2, J.Y. Ma 3, D.Y. Kwon

1 College of Pharmacy and Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Jeonbuk, Korea. sssimi@wku.ac.kr

2 National Institute of Horticultural & Herbal Science, RDA, Department of Herbal Crop Research, Eumsung, Chungbuk, Korea

3 Korean Medicine (KM)-Based Herbal Drug Research Group, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine, Yuseong, Daejeon, Korea

 

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• Pharmacology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Sinomenine is an alkaloid compound and a prominent anti-inflammatory agent found in the root of the climbing plant Sinomenium acutum. However, its effects on the mechanism of human mast cell line (HMC)-1-mediated inflammation remained unknown.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: To provide insight into the biological effects of sinomenine, we examined its influence on the pro-inflammatory cytokine production in HMC-1 cells stimulated by phorbol 12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) plus A23187 by evaluating the stimulated cells in the presence or absence of sinomenine. In the present study, the pro-inflammatory cytokine production was measured using ELISA, Reverse Transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) pathway activation, as determined by Western blot analysis. Also, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 expression was measured through Western blot and RT-PCR analysis.

RESULTS: Sinomenine inhibited the pro-inflammatory cytokine production induced by PMA plus A23187 in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, sinomenine inhibited the phosphorylations of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 MAPKs as well as the translocation of NF-kappaB p65 through reduced IkappaBalpha degradation. In addition, sinomenine suppressed COX-2 protein and mRNA expression dose-dependently.

CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the results of this study indicate that the anti-inflammatory effects of sinomenine may occur via the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine and COX-2 production through the inhibition of MAPKs and NF-kappaB pathway activation by PMA plus A23187 stimulation in HMC-1 cells.

Corresponding Author: S.H. Han, Ph.D; e-mail: herbman@korea.kr

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