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Quercetin suppresses proinflammatory cytokines production through MAP kinases and NF-κB pathway in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophage

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Abstract

Quercetin is a flavonoid molecule ubiquitous in nature and functions as an anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory agent with little toxicity in vivo and in vitro. Dose- and time-dependent effect of quercetin has been investigated on proinflammatory cytokine expression and NO production, focusing on its effects on the MAP kinases and the NF-κB signal transduction pathways in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells by using RT-PCR and immunoblotting. Quercetin strongly reduced activation of phosphorylated ERK kinase and p38 MAP kinase but not JNK MAP kinase by LPS treatment. In addition, quercetin treatment inhibited NF-κB activation through stabilization of the NF-κB/IκB complex and IκB degradation and proinflammatory cytokines and NO/iNOS expression. Quercetin may exert its anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties in the effect molecules such as proinflammatory cytokines and NO/iNOS by suppressing the activation of ERK and p38 MAP kinase, and NF-κB/IκB signal transduction pathways.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Yusung, Taejon City, South Korea

    Sung-Yeon Cho, Sang-Joon Park, Myung-Ja Kwon, Tae-Sook Jeong & Song-Hae Bok

  2. College of Agriculture, Chungnam National University, Yusung, Taejon City, South Korea

    Woo-Young Choi

  3. College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu City, South Korea

    Won-Il Jeong, Sun-Hee Do, Cha-Soo Lee, Jae-Chan Song & Kyu-Shik Jeong

  4. College of Veterinary Medicine, Chungnam National University, Yusung, Taejon City, South Korea

    Si-Yun Ryu

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  1. Sung-Yeon Cho
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Cho, SY., Park, SJ., Kwon, MJ. et al. Quercetin suppresses proinflammatory cytokines production through MAP kinases and NF-κB pathway in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated macrophage. Mol Cell Biochem 243, 153–160 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1021624520740

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