Curcumin inhibits TNFα-induced lectin-like oxidised LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) expression and suppresses the inflammatory response in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) by an antioxidant mechanism

Abstract

In this study, the anti-oxidative activities of 70% ethanol extract from Curcuma aromatica Salisb. (CAS) and curcumin (CUR) were studied. The CAS extracts and CUR were both found to have a potent scavenging activity against the reactive species tested, as well as an inhibitory effect on LDL oxidation. Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were stimulated with tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα), expression of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), lectin-like oxidised LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1), adhesion molecules, inhibitory kappa Bα (IκBα) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) were measured. In HUVECs stimulated with TNFα, CUR significantly suppressed expression of the intracellular ROS, LOX-1 and adhesion molecules, degradation of IκBα and translocation of NFκB, while inducing production of NO by phosphorylation of eNOS (p <0.05). In conclusion, CAS and CUR may modulate lipoprotein composition and attenuate oxidative stress by elevated antioxidant processes.

Keywords::

• Curcuma aromatica Salisb.
• curcumin
• reactive oxygen species
• reactive nitrogen species
• antioxidant

Acknowledgements

Hye-Sook Lee and Min-Ja Lee contributed equally to this work as first author.

Declaration of interest

This work was supported by the Dongguk University Research Fund and the MRC programme of MOST/KOSEF (grant number: R13-2005-013-01000-0).