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Zhikang Capsule Ameliorates Inflammation, Drives Polarization to M2 Macrophages, and Inhibits Apoptosis in Lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 Cells

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Abstract

Objective

To explore the anti-inflammatory effect of the traditional Chinese medicine Zhikang capsule (ZKC) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells.

Methods

Safe concentrations of ZKC (0.175, 0.35, and 0.7 mg/mL) were used after the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of RAW264.7 cells was calculated through the CCK-8 assay. In addition, the optimal intervention duration of ZKC (0.7 mg/mL) on RAW264.7 cells was determined to be 6 h, since all proinflammatory mediators [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), inteleukin-6 (IL-6), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1)] had a decreasing tendency and relatively down-regulated mRNA expression levels as compared with other durations (4, 8, and 12 h). RAW264.7 cells were pretreated with ZKC at various concentrations (0.175, 0.35 and 0.7 mg/mL) for 6 h and then stimulated with LPS (1 µg/mL) for an additional 12 h.

Results

In terms of inflammation, ZKC could reverse LPS-induced upregulation of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, COX-2, iNOS, and MCP-1 at both the mRNA and protein levels in RAW264.7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In terms of the NF-κB signaling pathway, ZKC could reduce phosphorylated p65 and promote M2 polarization of RAW264.7 cells under LPS stimulation in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, ZKC exhibited a protective effect on macrophages from apoptosis.

Conclusion

ZKC exhibited obvious antiinflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects on LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells at the cellular level, and a weakened NF-κB signaling pathway may be a potential significant target.

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Author notes

  1. The authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Infectious Diseases, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, 100034, China

    Sheng-liang Xin

  2. Department of Gastroenterology, Wuhan Asia General Hospital, Wuhan, 430056, China

    Xia Yang

  3. Department of Gastroenterology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430022, China

    Yu-ping Zhang & Ke-shu Xu

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  1. Sheng-liang Xin
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  2. Xia Yang
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Correspondence to Ke-shu Xu.

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Xin, Sl., Yang, X., Zhang, Yp. et al. Zhikang Capsule Ameliorates Inflammation, Drives Polarization to M2 Macrophages, and Inhibits Apoptosis in Lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 Cells. CURR MED SCI 41, 1214–1224 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-021-2441-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-021-2441-z

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