lignans and baicalein

Neutrophil apoptosis is an important physiological process in the resolution of pulmonary inflammation. Previous studies have shown that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5n-3) increases the rate of apoptosis in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in HL-60 cells. However, it is not known if the EPA-induced apoptosis involves the lipoxygenase (LO) and cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes or the downstream metabolic products of these enzymes. Thus, the objective of this study was to determine the effects of inhibitors LO and COX enzymes on apoptosis, viability, and necrosis in EPA-treated HL-60 cells.. Cells were incubated with 50 mum EPA in the presence of an enzyme inhibitor (1-10 microm) for 12 h. Compounds were used to inhibit COX 1 and 2 (ibuprofen), 5-, 12-, 15-LO (NDGA), 12-LO (baicalein), 5-LO (AA-861), and 5-LO activating protein (MK-886). Eicosanoid (0.001-1.0 mum) add-back experiments were also conducted; LTB(4) and 5-HETE with 5-LO inhibition and 12-HETE with 12-LO inhibition. Flow cytometry was used to assess apoptosis.. Inhibition of COX 1 and 2 had no effect on apoptosis. Inhibition of 5-LO and 12-LO significantly increased apoptosis in EPA-treated HL-60 cells. Addition of LTB(4) reduced apoptosis to levels significantly lower than in HL-60 cells treated with EPA alone; 5-HETE and 12-HETE also lowered apoptosis to control levels.. These data indicate that inhibition of LO, particularly 5-LO, increased apoptosis in EPA-treated HL-60 cells. Furthermore, this study demonstrated that the products of the LO enzymes, particularly LTB(4), are critical in the regulation of apoptosis in EPA-treated HL-60 cells.

Topics: Apoptosis; Arachidonate 12-Lipoxygenase; Arachidonate 15-Lipoxygenase; Arachidonate 5-Lipoxygenase; Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; Eicosapentaenoic Acid; Enzyme Inhibitors; Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; Flavanones; Guaiacol; HL-60 Cells; Humans; Hydroxyeicosatetraenoic Acids; Ibuprofen; Indoles; Leukotriene B4; Lignans; Lipoxygenase Inhibitors; Neutrophils; Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Magnolol, a compound isolated from the cortex of Magnolia officinalis, has been found to possess anti-allergic and anti-asthmatic activity.. The effect of magnolol on ionic currents was studied in cultured smooth muscle cells of human trachea with the aid of the patch clamp technique.. In whole cell current recordings magnolol reversibly increased the amplitude of K+ outward currents. The increase in outward current caused by magnolol was sensitive to inhibition by iberiotoxin (200 nM) or paxilline (1 microM) but not by glibenclamide (10 microM). In inside out patches, magnolol added to the bath did not modify single channel conductance but effectively enhanced the activity of large conductance Ca2+ activated K+ (BK(Ca)) channels. Magnolol increased the probability of these channel openings in a concentration dependent manner with an EC50 value of 1.5 microM. The magnolol stimulated increase in the probability of channels opening was independent of internal Ca2+. The application of magnolol also shifted the activation curve of BK(Ca) channels to less positive membrane potentials. The change in the kinetic behaviour of BK(Ca) channels caused by magnolol in these cells is the result of an increase in dissociation and gating constants.. These results provide evidence that, in addition to the presence of antioxidative activity, magnolol is potent in stimulating BK(Ca) channel activity in tracheal smooth muscle cells. The direct stimulation of these BK(Ca) channels by magnolol may contribute to the underlying mechanism by which it acts as an anti-asthmatic compound.

Topics: Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; Biphenyl Compounds; Calcium; Calcium Channel Blockers; Cells, Cultured; Evans Blue; Flavanones; Flavonoids; Glycyrrhetinic Acid; Humans; Large-Conductance Calcium-Activated Potassium Channels; Lignans; Membrane Potentials; Muscle, Smooth; Niflumic Acid; Potassium; Potassium Channels; Potassium Channels, Calcium-Activated; Trachea