Synergistic Induction of iNOS by IFN-g and Glycoprotein Isolated from Dioscorea batatas
Synergistic Induction of iNOS by IFN-g and Glycoprotein Isolated from Dioscorea batatas
- Pham Thi Thu Huong Min Young Lee Kun Yeong Lee In Youp Chang Seog Ki Lee Sang Pil Yoon Dong-Cheol Le
- 대한생리학회-대한약리학회
- The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology
- 제16권 제6호
- 등재여부 : KCI등재
- 2012.01
- 431 - 436 (6 pages)
Dioscorea species continue to be used in traditional Chinese medicine, and represent a major source of steroid precursors for conventional medicine. In the previous study, We isolated glycoprotein (GDB) from Dioscorea batatas, characterized, and demonstrated immunostimulating activity in C57BL/6 mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism whereby GDB activates macrophages. Macrophages activation by GDB was investigated by analyzing the effects of GDB on nitric oxide (NO) production, iNOS expression, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation, and transcription factor activation. In the presence of IFN-Ճ, GDB strongly stimulated macrophages to express iNOS and produce NO. Furthermore, the activation of p38 was synergistically induced by GDB plus IFN-Ճ, but SB203580 (a p38 inhibitor) inhibited GDB plus IFN-Ճ-induced p38 activation. This study indicates that GDB is an important activator of macrophages. Furthermore, due to the critical role that macrophage activation plays in innate immune response, the activation effects of GDB on macrophages suggest that GDB may be a useful immunopotentiating agent.