HL-60 세포에서 TNF-a에 의한 MCP-1 발현에 미치는 Betulinic Acid의 효과

The Effect of Betulinic Acid on TNF-a-induced MCP-1 Expression in HL-60 Cells

Betulinic acid, a naturally occurring pentacyclic triterpenoid, is found in abundance in the outer bark of white birch (Betula alba). In this study, we investigated if betulinic acid affects cytokine expression from activated macrophage cells. ELISA result showed that stimulation of HL-60 cells with proinflammatory cytokine such as TNF-α resulted in MCP-1 release into culture medium. In addition, transcriptional upregulation of MCP-1 in response to TNF-α was observed by RT-PCR analysis. However, incubation of HL-60 cells with betulinic acid prior to TNF-α treatment abrogated MCP-1 expression in transcription and translational level. Consistent with a number of studies which reported requirement of ERK activation for TNF-α expression, Western blot analysis showed that TNF-α-induced ERK activation was suppressed by pretreatment of HL-60 cells with betulinic acid. Taken together, our data indicate that betulinic acid exerts its anti-inflammatory effect through inhibition of TNF-α-induced ERK activation which is required for the subsequent MCP-1 release.