Homoplantaginin Inhibits Palmitic Acid-induced Endothelial Cells Inflammation by Suppressing TLR4 and NLRP3 Inflammasome

J Cardiovasc Pharmacol. 2016 Jan;67(1):93-101. doi: 10.1097/FJC.0000000000000318.

Abstract

Palmitic acid (PA)-induced vascular endothelial inflammation plays a pivotal role in the occurrence and development of vascular diseases. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of homoplantaginin, a main flavonoid from a traditional Chinese medicine Salvia plebeia R. Br., on PA-treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells inflammation and the underlying molecular mechanism. Firstly, we found that homoplantaginin (0.1, 1, 10 μM) dose-dependently reduced expression of toll-like receptor-4 evoked by PA (100 μM). The inhibitory effect of homoplantaginin was further confirmed under lipopolysaccharide challenge. In addition, downstream adapted proteins including myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88, toll/interleukin-1 receptor-domain containing adaptor-inducing interferon-β and tumor necrosis factors receptor associated factor-6 were successfully inhibited by homoplantaginin under PA treatment. Also, we found that homoplantaginin tightly controlled PA-induced reactive oxygen species to prevent nucleotide-binding domain-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation by suppressing reactive oxygen species-sensitive thioredoxin-interacting protein, NLRP3, and caspase-1. Meanwhile, protein and mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators (interleukin-1β, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, and monocyte chemotactic protein-1) were decreased by homoplantaginin. Furthermore, homoplantaginin restored PA-impaired nitric oxide generation. Taken together, these results indicated that homoplantaginin protected endothelial cells from ameliorating PA-induced endothelial inflammation via suppressing toll-like receptor-4 and NLRP3 pathways, and restoring nitric oxide generation, suggesting it may be a potential candidate for further development in the prevention and treatment of vascular diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Carrier Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / isolation & purification
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / pharmacology
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal / therapeutic use
  • Flavonoids / isolation & purification
  • Flavonoids / pharmacology*
  • Flavonoids / therapeutic use
  • Glucosides / isolation & purification
  • Glucosides / pharmacology*
  • Glucosides / therapeutic use
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / drug effects*
  • Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Inflammasomes / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Inflammasomes / metabolism
  • Inflammation / chemically induced
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Inflammation / metabolism
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • Palmitic Acid / toxicity*
  • Salvia miltiorrhiza
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4 / metabolism

Substances

  • 6-methoxy-4',5-dihydroxyflavone-7-O-glucoside
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Drugs, Chinese Herbal
  • Flavonoids
  • Glucosides
  • Inflammasomes
  • NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein
  • NLRP3 protein, human
  • TLR4 protein, human
  • Toll-Like Receptor 4
  • Palmitic Acid