Modified Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong prescription, a traditional Chinese polyherbal formula, suppresses lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammatory processes in rat astrocytes via NF-κB and JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathways

• Published in: Phytomedicine (Stuttgart) 2012-01, Vol.19 (2), p.122-129
• Main Authors: Zeng, Ke-Wu, Zhang, Tai, Fu, Hong, Liu, Geng-Xin, Wang, Xue-Mei
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - pharmacology; Astrocyte; Astrocytes - cytology; Astrocytes - drug effects; Astrocytes - immunology; Blotting, Western; Cell Survival; Coculture Techniques; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; Gene Expression Regulation; HPLC-analysis; Inflammation - chemically induced; Inflammation - drug therapy; Inflammation - immunology; Lipopolysaccharide; Lipopolysaccharides - adverse effects; Lipopolysaccharides - immunology; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Modified Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong prescription; Neuroinflammation; Neurons - drug effects; Neurons - immunology; NF-kappa B - immunology; Nitric Oxide - metabolism; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II - metabolism; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Phosphorylation; Primary Cell Culture; Prostaglandins E - metabolism; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Traditional Chinese medicine
• ISSN: 0944-7113; 1618-095X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2011.08.003

Neuroinflammation plays an important role in several neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of modified Wu-Zi-Yan-Zong prescription (MWP), a traditional Chinese polyherbal formula, in primary cultured rat astrocytes treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The results showed that MWP significantly inhibited release of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E (PGE), as well as expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 in LPS-induced rat astrocytes. Mechanism study indicated that MWP significantly inhibited nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) inflammatory signaling pathway through attenuating inhibitor of nuclear factor-κB (IκB) degradation and down-regulating IκB kinases (IKKs) phosphorylation level. Moreover, MWP also decreased c-Jun NH 2-terminal kinase (JNK)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, which play an important role in the induction of proinflammatory gene expressions. At last, MWP protected neurons from LPS-activated astrocytes in neuron–astrocyte co-culture system. Taken together, our results suggest that MWP may act to suppress neuroinflammatory response in LPS-stimulated rat astrocytes via NF-κB and JNK/p38 MAPK signaling cascades, and MWP may be a useful agent for prevention and treatment of neuroinflammatory disease.