Asterias amurensis is a marine organism that causes damage to the fishing industry worldwide; however, it has been considered a promising source of functional components. The present study aimed to investigate the immune-enhancing effects of fatty acids from three organs of A. amurensis on murine macrophages (RAW 264.7 cells). A. amurensis fatty acids boosted production of immune-associated factors such as nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 in RAW 264.7 cells. A. amurensis fatty acids also enhanced the expression of critical immune-associated genes, including iNOS, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, as well as COX-2. Western blotting showed that A. amurensis fatty acids stimulated the NF-κB and MAPK pathways by phosphorylation of NF-κB p-65, p38, ERK1/2, and JNK. A. amurensis fatty acids from different tissues resulted in different levels of NF-κB and MAPK phosphorylation in RAW 264.7 cells. The results increase our understanding of how A. amurensis fatty acids boost immunity in a physiological system, as a potential functional material.
Keywords: Immune enhancement; MAPK pathway; NF-κB pathway; fatty acid; starfish.