Immunostimulatory activity of Hovenia dulcis branches extracts through TLR4/JNK-dependent macrophage activation and TLR4-dependent macrophage autophagy in RAW264.7 cells

Ju Hyung Yu; Min Yeong Choi; So Jung Park; Na Gyeong Geum; Jae Won Lee; Gwang Hun Park; Jin Boo Jeong

doi:10.1007/s10068-022-01155-3

Immunostimulatory activity of Hovenia dulcis branches extracts through TLR4/JNK-dependent macrophage activation and TLR4-dependent macrophage autophagy in RAW264.7 cells

Food Sci Biotechnol. 2022 Aug 30;31(13):1753-1760. doi: 10.1007/s10068-022-01155-3. eCollection 2022 Dec.

Authors

Ju Hyung Yu^#¹, Min Yeong Choi^#¹, So Jung Park¹, Na Gyeong Geum^{1

2}, Jae Won Lee¹, Gwang Hun Park², Jin Boo Jeong¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Medicinal Plant Resources, Andong National University, Andong, 36729 Republic of Korea.
² Forest Medicinal Resources Research Center, National Institute of Forest Science, Yeongju, 36040 Republic of Korea.

^# Contributed equally.

Abstract

Hovenia dulcis, one of the traditional medicinal plants, is currently being used as a functional ingredient for the development of health functional foods that protects the liver from alcohol damage in Korea. A variety of pharmacological effects of Hovenia dulcis have been reported so far, but studies on immune-enhancing activity are insufficient. Thus, in this study, we report that Hovenia dulcis branches (HDB) induce the activation of macrophages. HDB increased the production of immunostimulatory factors and phagocytosis in RAW264.7 cells. TLR4 inhibition blocked HDB-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors. In addition, the JNK inhibition reduced the HDB-mediated production of immunostimulatory factors, and the HDB-mediated JNK activation was blocked by the TLR4 inhibition. HDB increased the level of LC3-II and p62/SQSTM1. TLR4 inhibition blocked HDB-mediated increase in the level of LC3-II and p62/SQSTM1. These findings indicate that HDB may induce TLR4/JNK-dependent macrophage activation and TLR4-dependent macrophage autophagy.

Keywords: Hovenia dulcis; Macrophage activation; Macrophage autophagy.

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