Capsaicin inhibits the production of tumor necrosis factor α by LPS-stimulated murine macrophages, RAW 264.7: a PPARγ ligand-like action as a novel mechanism

AbstractCapsaicin, a major ingredient of hot pepper, is considered to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. Our previous study demonstrated that capsaicin inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory mediators through NF-κB inactivation in LPS-stimulated macrophages. In order to further clarify the mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory action of capsaicin, we investigated whether capsaicin alters PPARγ activity, which regulates the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα. Capsaicin significantly inhibited the production of TNFα by macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. Simultaneous exposure of the cells to capsaicin and PPARγ agonist troglitazone or RXR agonist LG100268 resulted in stronger inhibition of TNFα production compared to the cells treated with either capsaicin, troglitazone, or LG100268 alone. Luciferase reporter assay revealed that capsaicin induced GAL4/PPARγ chimera and full length PPARγ (PPRE) transactivations in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, a specific PPARγ antagonist T0070907 abrogated the inhibitory action of capsaicin on LPS-induced TNFα production by RAW 264.7 cells, indicating that capsaicin acts like a ligand for PPARγ. Our data demonstrate for the first time that the anti-inflammatory action of capsaicin may be mediated by PPARγ activation in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells

NBRP databases: databases of biological resources in Japan

The National BioResource Project (NBRP) is a Japanese project that aims to establish a system for collecting, preserving and providing bioresources for use as experimental materials for life science research. It is promoted by 27 core resource facilities, each concerned with a particular group of organisms, and by one information center. The NBRP database is a product of this project. Thirty databases and an integrated database-retrieval system (BioResource World: BRW) have been created and made available through the NBRP home page (http://www.nbrp.jp). The 30 independent databases have individual features which directly reflect the data maintained by each resource facility. The BRW is designed for users who need to search across several resources without moving from one database to another. BRW provides access to a collection of 4.5-million records on bioresources including wild species, inbred lines, mutants, genetically engineered lines, DNA clones and so on. BRW supports summary browsing, keyword searching, and searching by DNA sequences or gene ontology. The results of searches provide links to online requests for distribution of research materials. A circulation system allows users to submit details of papers published on research conducted using NBRP resources

Influence of Cigarette Smoke on the L-Ascorbic Acid Metabolism and the Activities of Drug-Metabolizing Enzyme in Rats

This study clarified the influence of cigarette smoke on the L-ascorbic acid (AsA) metabolism and the activities of drug-metabolizing enzyme in rats. The test rats (group T) were exposed to weak sidestream smoke from cigarettes for 2h, everyday for 57 days. AsA concentration in the tissues and excreted amount of AsA in urine of group T tended to be higher than those of control group (group C). The plasma AsA concentration and the activities of aniline hydroxylase and 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase of group T were significantly higher than those of group C. There was no significant difference in the activity of UDP glucuronosyltransferase or in the liver cytochrome P-450 content between these two groups