Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin, a Nuclear factor–κB Inhibitor, on Endotoxin-Induced Uveitis in Rats In vivo and In vitro

ABSTRACT

Purpose: To determine the anti-inflammatory effects of dehydroxymethylepoxyquinomicin (DHMEQ), a nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) inhibitor, on endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU) in rats.

Methods: EIU was induced by a subcutaneous injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in Lewis rats. DHMEQ was injected intraperitoneally concurrently with the LPS. Aqueous humor was collected 24 h after the LPS injection. Isolated peritoneal exudate cells (PECs) were exposed to LPS with or without DHMEQ to determine the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1.

Results: DHMEQ significantly reduced the number of infiltrating cells, and the concentrations of proteins, TNF-α, and IL-6 in the aqueous humor. DHMEQ suppressed the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and MCP-1 from PECs. Immunochemistry revealed a reduction in the translocation of the NF-κB p65 into the nuclei in DHMEQ-exposed PECs.

Conclusions: The results indicate that DHMEQ has anti-inflammatory effects on EIU and may be a promising agent to treat intraocular inflammation.

Keywords:

• Dexamethasone
• DHMEQ
• endotoxin-induced uveitis (EIU)
• NF-κB inhibitor
• peritoneal exudate cells (PEC)

Acknowledgments

We thank Ms. Nobuko Takahashi and Mirai Kano for their technical assistance.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Grant for Scientific Research from Kyorin University, Tokyo, Japan and by Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (15K10901) from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, Japan.