Sesquiterpene lactone parthenolide attenuates production of inflammatory mediators by suppressing the Toll-like receptor-4-mediated activation of the Akt, mTOR, and NF-κB pathways

Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol. 2015 Sep;388(9):921-30. doi: 10.1007/s00210-015-1132-3. Epub 2015 May 15.

Abstract

Microbial product lipopolysaccharide has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory skin diseases. Parthenolide present in extracts of the herb feverfew has demonstrated an anti-inflammatory effect. However, the effect of parthenolide on the Akt/mTOR and NF-κB pathway activation-induced productions of inflammatory mediators in keratinocytes has not been studied. Using human keratinocytes, we investigated the effect of parthenolide on the inflammatory mediator production in relation to the Toll-like receptor-4-mediated-Akt/mTOR and NF-κB pathways, which regulate the transcription genes involved in immune and inflammatory responses. Parthenolide, Akt inhibitor, Bay 11-7085, and N-acetylcysteine each attenuated the lipopolysaccharide-induced production of IL-1β and PGE2, increase in the levels of cyclooxygenase, formation of reactive oxygen species, increase in the levels of Toll-like receptor-4, and activation of the Akt/mTOR and NF-κB in keratinocytes. The results show that parthenolide appears to attenuate the lipopolysaccharide-stimulated production of inflammatory mediators in keratinocytes by suppressing the Toll-like receptor-4-mediated activation of the Akt, mTOR, and NF-κB pathways. The activation of signaling transduction pathways appear to be regulated by reactive oxygen species. Parthenolide appears to attenuate the microbial product-mediated inflammatory skin diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Inflammation Mediators / metabolism
  • Keratinocytes / drug effects*
  • Keratinocytes / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Sesquiterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism*

Substances

  • Inflammation Mediators
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • parthenolide
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases