The Effects Of Andrographolide On The Activation Of Mapks And Expression Of NF-κB In Mouse Peritoneal Macrophage-derived Foam Cells

Objective: To observe the alteration in the activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and expression of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in macrophage foam cells and the interventional role of andrographolide.Methods: the mouse peritoneal macrophages were cultured in the presence of media containing oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) or ox-LDL+ andrographolide. The phosphorylation of MAPK molecules (p38MAPK, JNK, ERK1/2) and the expression of NK-κB p65 were examined by Western blot.Results: as compare with the control group, the expression of phospho-p38 and NF-κB p65 was increased in the ox-LDL group and the ox-LDL+ andrographolide group(p<0.001), but attenuated significantly in the ox-LDL+ andrographolide group compared with the ox-LDL group (p<0.05). The phospho-JNK increased in both ox-LDL group and ox-LDL + andrographolide group compared with control cells(p<0.001), but no significant difference existed in the two groups (p>0.05). The expression of phospho-ERK1/2 was increased in the ox-LDL group compared with the control group and decreased in the ox-LDL + andrographolide group compared with the ox-LDL group (p<0.001), but no significant differences existed in the control group and the ox-LDL + andrographolide group (p>0.05).Conclusion: andrographolide inhibited the activation of ERK1/2, p38MAPK and the expression of NK-κB in ox-LDL induced macrophage foam cells. It was suggested that andrographolide could prevent atherosclerosis via blocking the p38MAPK and NK-κB pathways in macrophage foam cells.