16α,17α-Epoxypregnenolone-20-oxime prevent LPS-induced NO production and iNOS expression in BV-2 microglial cells by inhibiting JNK phosphorylation

Biol Pharm Bull. 2014;37(7):1096-102. doi: 10.1248/bpb.b13-00706.

Abstract

The free radical nitric oxide (NO), a main member of neuroinflammatory cytokine and a gaseous molecule produced by activated microglia, has many physiological functions, including neuroinflammation. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of serial 16-dehydropregnenolone-3-acetate derivatives on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in BV-2 microglial cells. Among the six derivatives tested, the increases in NO production and iNOS expression observed in BV-2 microglial cells after LPS stimulation were significantly inhibited by treatment with 16α, 17α-epoxypregnenolone-20-oxime. Moreover, the inhibitory effect of 16α,17α-epoxypregnenolone-20-oxime on NO production was similar to that of S-methylisothiourea sulfate (SMT), an iNOS inhibitor. Further studies showed that 16α,17α-epoxypregnenolone-20-oxime inhibited c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation but not inhibitor kappa B (IκB)-α degradation. Our data in LPS-stimulated microglia cells suggest that 16α,17α-epoxypregnenolone-20-oxime might be a candidate therapeutic for treatment of NO induced neuroinflammation and could be a novel iNOS inhibitor.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Flow Cytometry
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Microglia / drug effects*
  • Microglia / enzymology
  • Microglia / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Nitric Oxide / biosynthesis
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / genetics
  • Oximes / chemical synthesis
  • Oximes / chemistry
  • Oximes / pharmacology*
  • Phagocytosis / drug effects
  • Phosphorylation
  • Pregnenolone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Pregnenolone / chemical synthesis
  • Pregnenolone / chemistry
  • Pregnenolone / pharmacology
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism

Substances

  • 16,17-epoxypregnenolone-20-oxime
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Oximes
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • lipopolysaccharide, Escherichia coli O111 B4
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Pregnenolone
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases