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Astragalus polysaccharide attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in microglial cells: regulation of protein kinase B and nuclear factor-κB signaling

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Abstract

Objectives and design

Microglia play an important role in immune and inflammatory responses in the central nervous system. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS) has been reported as an immune stimulant for various inflammation-associated diseases in vivo. The present study investigated the effects of APS on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory responses in microglial cells.

Materials and methods

Cultured BV2 microglial cells were pre-treated with APS (0–200 μg/ml) prior to lipopolysaccharide (50 ng/ml) stimulation. The production of proinflammatory mediators including inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)/nitric oxide (NO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)/prostaglandin E (PGE2), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) were evaluated.

Results

APS dose-dependently reduced lipopolysaccharide stimulated nitric oxide and PGE2 production, as well as iNOS and cyclooxygenase-2 gene expression. It also attenuated proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α generation. In addition, APS inhibited nuclear factor-κB translocation by blockade of IκB degradation and suppressed protein kinase B phosphorylation in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cells.

Conclusions

The inhibitory effects of APS on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated inflammatory mediator production in microglia are associated with suppression of nuclear factor-κB and protein kinase B signaling pathways. APS may offer therapeutic potential for treating inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases accompanied with microglial activation.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by Nature Science Foundation of China, Grant number 81102863, 81271205; and Nature Science Foundation of Hubei Province, Grant number 2012FFB04437, 2013CFB252.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China

    Tao Luo, Fang Ding, Mingling Wang & Limin Zheng

  2. Central Laboratory, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

    Jian Qin & Min Liu

  3. Department of Pathology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China

    Jun Luo

  4. Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China

    Fang Ding

Authors
  1. Tao Luo
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  2. Jian Qin
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  3. Min Liu
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  4. Jun Luo
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  5. Fang Ding
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  6. Mingling Wang
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  7. Limin Zheng
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Tao Luo or Min Liu.

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Responsible Editor: John Di Battista.

J. Qin is a co-first author.

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Luo, T., Qin, J., Liu, M. et al. Astragalus polysaccharide attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses in microglial cells: regulation of protein kinase B and nuclear factor-κB signaling. Inflamm. Res. 64, 205–212 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-015-0798-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00011-015-0798-9

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