Andrographolide acts through inhibition of ERK1/2 and Akt phosphorylation to suppress chemotactic migration

Eur J Pharmacol. 2004 Sep 13;498(1-3):45-52. doi: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2004.07.077.

Abstract

We now evaluated the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of andrographolide on complement 5a (C5a)-induced macrophage recruitment in vitro. Andrographolide concentration dependently inhibited cell migration toward C5a with an IC50 of 5.6+/-0.7 microM. With relatively specific kinase inhibitors (PD98059, SB203580, SP600125, wortmannin and LY294002, respectively) the results showed that extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK) and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) were necessary for C5a-induced migration, whereas c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was nonessential. Andrographolide significantly attenuated C5a-stimulated phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and of its upstream activator, MAP kinase-ERK kinase (MEK1/2). C5a-activated ERK1/2 phosphorylation was 86+/-9% inhibited by 30 microM andrographolide. Under the same conditions, however, andrographolide failed to affect C5a-stimulated p38 MAPK and JNK phosphorylation. Andrographolide also strongly abolished C5a-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, a downstream target protein for PI3K. These results indicate that inhibition of cell migration by interfering with ERK1/2 and PI3K/Akt signal pathways may contribute to the anti-inflammatory activity of andrographolide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Androstadienes / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Anthracenes / pharmacology
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Movement / drug effects*
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chemokine CCL4
  • Chemotaxis / drug effects
  • Chromones / pharmacology
  • Complement C5a / pharmacology
  • Diterpenes / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology
  • Imidazoles / pharmacology
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2 / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4
  • Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins / pharmacology
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / metabolism*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / metabolism
  • Morpholines / pharmacology
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • Wortmannin
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism

Substances

  • Androstadienes
  • Anthracenes
  • Chemokine CCL4
  • Chromones
  • Diterpenes
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Flavonoids
  • Imidazoles
  • Macrophage Inflammatory Proteins
  • Morpholines
  • Phosphoinositide-3 Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Pyridines
  • pyrazolanthrone
  • 2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
  • andrographolide
  • Complement C5a
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 1
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 2
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4
  • Map2k1 protein, mouse
  • Map2k2 protein, mouse
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
  • SB 203580
  • 2-(2-amino-3-methoxyphenyl)-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one
  • Wortmannin