Molecular and Cellular Microbiology (MCM) | Host-Microbe Interaction and Pathogenesis
Microbiol. Biotechnol. Lett. 2024; 52(4): 462-469
https://doi.org/10.48022/mbl.2409.09004
Abdul Wahab Akram, Uyanga Batmunkh, and Man Hee Rhee*
College of Veterinary Medicine & Institute for Veterinary Biomedical Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea
Correspondence to :
Man Hee Rhee, rheemh@knu.ac.kr
Plants are a cornerstone of traditional medicine because they produce diverse chemical compounds with therapeutic potential. The genus Xanthium, particularly Xanthium strumarium, is renowned for its broad range of pharmacological effects but its anti-inflammatory properties in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced MH-S cells remain underexplored. This research investigates anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of X. strumarium ethanol extract on LPS-stimulated MH-S cells. X. strumarium was extracted with ethanol and analyzed for its chemical composition using Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The antioxidant activity was evaluated through DPPH and ABTS assays while anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in LPS stimulated MH-S cells by assessing nitric oxide (NO) production. Additionally, the expression of inflammatory cytokines and mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, iNOS, and COX-2) was assessed via RT-PCR and qRT PCR. GC-MS analysis identified several major compounds in the extract, including fatty acids and phenolic compounds. Significant free radical scavenging activity was revealed in the antioxidant assays, particularly in the ABTS assay. In MH-S cells, X. strumarium extract dose-dependently reduced NO production and inhibited the expression of inflammatory cytokines and mediators without causing cytotoxicity. X. strumarium exhibits potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, as evidenced by its ability to reduce NO production and downregulate inflammatory cytokines and mediators in LPS-stimulated MH-S cells. These findings support the potential of X. strumarium as a natural anti-inflammatory agent and underscore its therapeutic potential in managing oxidative stress and inflammation. Future research should further elucidate the mechanistic pathways underlying these effects.
Keywords: Xanthium strumarium L, antioxidant effects, anti-inflammatory effects, free radicals scavenging, Nitric oxide (NO) production, LPS-stimulated MH-S cells
The use of herbal plants as a key source of phytomedicine over the centuries is not accidental [1]. The immense chemical diversity within the plant kingdom offers numerous opportunities to target and treat a wide array of ailments [2]. Many plant-derived metabolites evolved for interspecies chemical communication and have inherent drug-like characteristics. These compounds can effectively interact with protein targets or influence the growth of commensal, pathogenic, or parasitic organisms within the body [3]. The application of new phytochemistry and pharmaceutical methods has facilitated the exploration of the mechanisms and chemical constituents of plants employed in traditional medicine [4]. Numerous compounds derived from plants demonstrate biological activities capable of reducing oxidative stress and mitigating inflammatory diseases [5, 6].
Typically, inflammatory reactions occur as a physiological reaction to adverse stimuli, like pathogen invasion and toxin exposure [7]. However, aberrant and abnormal inflammation can lead to various anomalies [8, 9]. Macrophages are essential players in inflammation, primarily due to their production of pro-inflammatory mediators. These include nitric oxide (NO), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), as well as cytokines such as interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin- 6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) [10]. Stimulation of TLR4 by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) initiates a signaling cascade including MyD88 independent and dependent pathways, leading to upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines [11]. NO is synthesized through the inducible iNOS pathway in response to inflammatory triggers, including LPS [12]. In chronic inflammation, activated macrophages release elevated levels of chemokines, cytokines, and pro-inflammatory mediators [13]. Conversely, oxygen metabolism naturally produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are essential for homeostasis and cell signaling [14]. However, excessive ROS generation can oxidize proteins and nucleic acids in pathological infections, which can have harmful consequences on cell structures [15].
The genus
DPPH reagent was obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (CAS:1898-66-4); ABTS reagent was acquired from Roche Diagnostics (Germany; REF: 10102946001); potassium persulfate was obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (216224-100G); RPMI for MH-S cells culture was sourced from Daegu, Korea; streptomycin/penicillin were imported from Lonza (USA); FBS and DPBS were obtained from WelGene Co. (Republic of Korea); RNA was extracted with TRIzol® reagent (Invitrogen, USA); bovine serum albumin was acquired from Thermo Fisher Scientific (Republic of Korea); oligo-dT for oligo synthesis was obtained from Bioneer; all primers were soured from Bioneer (Republic of Korea); MTT reagent was purchased from Sigma-Aldrich; all western blot antibodies were purchased from Cell Signaling Technology (USA).
GC-MS analysis was performed by injecting powdered extract at 250℃ using an Agilent 7890A GC instrument (Agilent Technologies, USA) with the temperature of the source set at 230℃ and the transfer line set at 280℃. The column temperature was maintained at 70℃ for 1 min and increased at a rate of 5℃/min to a final temperature of 300℃ and maintained for 30 min. Mass spectrometry (MS) data were collected using scan and electron ionization modes to analyze the compounds found within the
Table 1 . GC-MS analysis of major compounds present in
Chemical Compounds | Retention time | Area% |
---|---|---|
9,12-Octadecadienoic acid | 42.96 | 2.94 |
39.59 | 1.35 | |
6,9-octadecanoic acid | 43.02 | 0.73 |
octadecanoic acid | 43.35 | 0.63 |
1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxycyclohexanecar | 32.51 | 0.39 |
2,1,3-benzothiadiazole | 27.76 | 0.23 |
1,2,3 Propanetriol | 16.02 | 0.22 |
Glycerin | 15.42 | 0.11 |
Hydroquinone | 23.30 | 0.09 |
For the DPPH assay, 20 μl of
For the ABTS assay, 50 μl of
MH-S cells, originating from the American Type culture collection, were kept in RPMI medium (10% FBS, 10,000 IU/ml penicillin, and 10,000 μg/ml streptomycin sulfate supplementation) under humidified conditions with 5% CO2 at 37℃. Following 24 h of seeding the cells in 24-well plates at a concentration of 2 × 105 cells per well, LPS (0.1 μg/ml) was used to stimulate the cells for an additional 18 h, with or without
MH-S cells were incubated in six-well plates for 24 h. Then, the cells were stimulated with 0.1 μg/ml LPS for 18 h in the presence or absence of
Table 2 . Primers sequence used for RT-PCR and qRT PCR analysis.
RT-PCR | Forward primer sequences (5’-3’) | Reverse primer sequences (5’-3’) |
---|---|---|
COX-2 | CACTACATCCTGACCCACTT | ATGCTCCTGCTTGAGTATGT |
iNOS | CCCTTCCGAAGTTTCTGGCAGCAGC | GGCTGTCAGAGCCTCGTGGCTTTGG |
IL-6 | GTACTCCAGAAGACCAGAGG | TGCTGGTGACAACCACGGCC |
TNF-α | TTGACCTCAGCGCTGAGTTG | CCTGTAGCCCACGTCGTAGC |
IL-1β | CTGTGGAGAAGCTGTGGCAG | GGGATCCACACTCTCCAGCT |
GAPDH | CACTCACGGCAAATTCAACGGCAC | GACTCCACGACATACTCAGCAC |
Real-time PCR | ||
COX-2 | GGCAGCCTGTGAGACCTTTG | GCATTGGAAGTGAAGCGTTTC |
iNOS | GGCAGCCTGTGAGACCTTTG | GCATTGGAAGTGAAGCGTTTC |
IL-6 | TCCAGTTGCCTTCTTGGGAC | GTGTAATTAAGCCTCCGACTTG |
TNF-α | TGCCTATGTCTCAGCCTCTTC | GAGGCCATTTGGGAACTTCT |
IL-1β | CAACCAACAAGTGATATTCTCCATG | GATCCACACTCTCCAGCTGCA |
GAPDH | CACTCACGGCAAATTCAACGGCAC | GACTCCACGACATACTCAGCAC |
2 μl PCR product from each group was subjected to qRT PCR using the Bio-Rad CFX96 Real-Time Thermal Cycler (Bio-Rad, USA). Gene expression was normalized against the housekeeping gene GAPDH.
Data was analyzed using one-way ANOVA, followed by Dunnett’s post hoc test (SAS Institute Inc., USA) to evaluate the statistical significance of the differences observed. Results are expressed as mean ± standard deviation (SD), with a
GC-MS analysis of
In our experimental setup, MH-S cells were treated with different concentrations of
Furthermore, we investigated the suppression of inflammatory cytokines through RT-PCR analysis. The mRNA expression levels of iNOS, COX-2, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α reduced with increasing concentrations of
Natural remedies have long been used to address a wide range of physiological disorders [22]. Scientific advancements now allow us to delve into the molecular mechanisms behind the pharmacological effects of compounds found in natural products such as herbs, shrubs, roots, leaves, and flowers.
ABTS radicals react through electron transfer, while DPPH radicals engage hydrogen atom transfer mechanisms [25, 26]. Our plant extract demonstrated higher radical scavenging activity in the ABTS assay, indicating that its potent antioxidant activity may be attributed to its phenolic and flavonoid constituents (Table 1, Fig. 1). These findings are consistent with prior studies highlighting the robust radical scavenging properties of phenols and flavonoids [27].
NO is a gaseous molecule involved in cellular defense mechanisms against external pathogens [28]. However, prolonged NO production can lead to cellular damage [29]. In our study, stimulating MH-S cells with LPS elevated NO production in a dose-dependent manner. However, treatment with
Pro-inflammatory mediators iNOS and COX-2 can be produced as a result of NO synthesis, which is thought to be a defense mechanism against LPS invasion [30−32]. The cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α are among the mediators that set off downstream signaling pathways [33]. The increased release of these cytokines can exacerbate inflammation and tissue damage [34]. Treatment with
In conclusion, this study demonstrates the potent antiinflammatory and antioxidant properties of
We are grateful to Abdul Wahab Akram for data curation, methodology, writing original draft and final review. We are thankful to Uyanga Batmunkh for writing final review and other technical help. We are grateful to Professor Man Hee Rhee for his continuous supervision and support. This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korean government (MSIT) (No. 2022R1A2C1012963). We are thankful to the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) for the grants.
The authors have no financial conflicts of interest to declare.