Wistin Exerts an Anti-Inflammatory Effect via Nuclear Factor-κB and p38 Signaling Pathways in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated RAW264.7 Cells.

Inflammation is an immune response to cellular damage caused by various stimuli (internal or external) and is essential to human health. However, excessive inflammatory responses may be detrimental to the host. Considering that the existing drugs for the treatment of inflammatory diseases have various side effects, such as allergic reactions, stomach ulcers, and cardiovascular problems, there is a need for research on new anti-inflammatory agents with low toxicity and fewer side effects. As 4',6-dimethoxyisoflavone-7-O-ß-d-glucopyranoside (wistin) is a phytochemical that belongs to an isoflavonoid family, we investigated whether wistin could potentially serve as a novel anti-inflammatory agent. In this study, we found that wistin significantly reduced the production of nitric oxide and intracellular reactive oxygen species in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Moreover, wistin reduced the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory enzymes (inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase (COX-2)) and cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6) and significantly reduced the protein expression of pro-inflammatory enzymes (iNOS and COX-2). Furthermore, wistin reduced the activation of the nuclear factor-κB and p38 signaling pathways. Together, these results suggest that wistin is a prospective candidate for the development of anti-inflammatory drugs.

Physiological Roles of Apoptotic Cell Clearance: Beyond Immune Functions.

The clearance of apoptotic cells is known to be a critical step in maintaining tissue and organism homeostasis. This process is rapidly/promptly mediated by recruited or resident phagocytes. Phagocytes that engulf apoptotic cells have been closely linked to the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines to eliminate inflammatory responses. Defective clearance of apoptotic cells can cause severe inflammation and autoimmune responses due to secondary necrosis of apoptotic cells. Recently accumulated evidence indicates that apoptotic cells and their clearance have important physiological roles in addition to immune-related functions. Herein, we review the current understanding of the mechanisms and fundamental roles of apoptotic cell clearance and the beneficial roles of apoptotic cells in physiological processes such as differentiation and development.