Inhibition of morphological change and phagocytosis by grape seed extracts in LPS-stimulated mouse macrophages

In this study, we observed the inhibition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated shape changes in mouse macrophages by grape seed extract (GSE). Upon stimulation with LPS, macrophages typically exhibited pseudopodia formation, including lamellipodia and filopodia, along with an increase in size; meanwhile, unstimulated cells maintained their round morphology. GSE effec-tively impeded these LPS-induced morphological changes and phagocytosis. To investigate the mechanisms of the inhibitory action of GSE on macrophage activation, we investigated its im-pact on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Although GSE did not significantly inhibit JNK, one of the three MAPK family members, it exerted notable inhibitory effects on p38 and ERK1/2. In summary, GSE demonstrated potent efficacy in restraining both phagocytosis and morpho-logical transformation of macrophages. Given the centrality of these kinases in inflammatory signals, GSE has emerged as a promising candidate for anti-inflammatory interventions.