Chitosan oligosaccharides suppress production of nitric oxide in lipopolysaccharide-induced N9 murine microglial cells in vitro

Glycoconj J. 2012 Aug;29(5-6):285-95. doi: 10.1007/s10719-012-9392-3. Epub 2012 May 24.

Abstract

Chitosan oligosaccharides (COS) have been reported to exert many biological activities, such as antioxidant, antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. In the present study, we examined the effect of COS on nitric oxide (NO) production in LPS induced N9 microglial cells. Pretreatment with COS (50~200 μg/ml) could markedly inhibit NO production by suppressing inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in activated microglial cells. Signal transduction studies showed that COS remarkably inhibited LPS-induced phosphorylation of p38 MAPK and ERK1/2. COS pretreatment could also inhibit the activation of both nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator protein-1 (AP-1). In conclusion, our results suggest that COS could suppress the production of NO in LPS-induced N9 microglial cells, mediated by p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 pathways.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chitosan / analogs & derivatives
  • Chitosan / pharmacology*
  • Gene Expression / drug effects
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Microglia / cytology
  • Microglia / drug effects*
  • Microglia / metabolism
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / genetics
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / genetics
  • NF-kappa B / antagonists & inhibitors
  • NF-kappa B / genetics
  • Neuroglia / cytology
  • Neuroglia / drug effects*
  • Neuroglia / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / genetics
  • Oligosaccharides / chemistry*
  • Phosphorylation / drug effects
  • Phosphorylation / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / genetics
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / genetics

Substances

  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • NF-kappa B
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Transcription Factor AP-1
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Chitosan
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse
  • Mapk1 protein, mouse
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases