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Blueberries inhibit proinflammatory cytokine TNF‐α and IL‐6 production in macrophages
Author(s) -
Wu Xianli,
Xie Chenghui,
Kang Jie
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.971.1
Subject(s) - proinflammatory cytokine , tumor necrosis factor alpha , cytokine , inflammation , macrophage , chemistry , messenger rna , immunology , endocrinology , biology , in vitro , biochemistry , gene
Blueberries (BB) have been reported to attenuate atherosclerosis in apoE deficient (ApoE −/− ) mice. However, the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. In this study, the effect of BB on proinflammatory cytokine production in macrophages was investigated. ApoE −/− mice were fed AIN‐93G diet (CD) or CD formulated to contain 1% freeze‐dried whole wild BB (BB) for 5 weeks. Peritoneal macrophages were collected and cultured. Protein level and mRNA expression of TNF‐α and IL‐6 were significantly lower in macrophages from mice fed BB. When stimulated by LPS, TNF‐α and IL‐6 mRNA expression increased by ~120 fold and ~550 fold in macrophages from CD fed mice, but only by ~16 fold and ~6 fold in macrophages from BB mice. Similarly, the oxLDL also induced marked increases in TNF‐α and IL‐6 mRNA expressions by ~12 fold and ~70 fold in macrophages from CD mice. While in macrophages from BB mice, TNF‐α expression only went up ~3 fold and IL‐6 was unchanged. Since TNF‐α and IL‐6 are key players in vascular inflammation underlying atherosclerosis, inhibition of TNF‐α and IL‐6 production and enhancement of resistance of macrophages to inflammatory stimuli could be an important mechanism of athero‐protective effects of BB. USDA‐CRIS‐6251‐5100002‐06S .