Effect of honey bee venom on microglial cells nitric oxide and tumor necrosis factor-alpha production stimulated by LPS

J Ethnopharmacol. 2007 Apr 20;111(1):176-81. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2006.11.008. Epub 2006 Nov 15.

Abstract

Abnormal activation of microglial cells has been implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases. Results showed that venom (KBV) produced and purified in Korea regulated lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in the murine microglia, BV-2 cell line. The production of proinflammatory cytokines, NO, and TNF-alpha was examined by LPS in BV-2 cell. The effect of KBV on the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and TNF-alpha was investigated by Western blot and RT-PCR in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. KBV suppressed the NO, iNOS, and TNF-alpha production, and decreased the levels of iNOS and TNF-alpha mRNA. These results suggest that KBV has anti-inflammatory properties that inhibit iNOS and TNF-alpha expression. KBV could be useful in inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokine and NO production in neurodegenerative diseases. Further studies on the pharmacological aspects of the individual components of KBV are recommended.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / pharmacology*
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / toxicity
  • Bee Venoms / pharmacology*
  • Bee Venoms / toxicity
  • Bees*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Honey*
  • Korea
  • Lipopolysaccharides / pharmacology*
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • Mice
  • Microglia / drug effects*
  • Microglia / metabolism
  • Nitric Oxide / metabolism*
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / genetics
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II / metabolism
  • RNA, Messenger / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / genetics
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism*

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Bee Venoms
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Nitric Oxide Synthase Type II
  • Nos2 protein, mouse