Curcumin Inhibits Acute Vascular Inflammation through the Activation of Heme Oxygenase-1.

Yunjun Xiao,Suli Huang,Haiyan Huang,Junjie Xia,Jinquan Cheng,Ziquan Lv,Shuang Wu,Xuefen Su,Yuebin Ke

doi:10.1155/2018/3295807

Abstract

Curcumin has several therapeutic properties such as anti-inflammatory effect. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been showed to have cytoprotective effects in some pathological conditions. However, the role of HO-1 in anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin is unknown. In this study, we investigate whether the anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin in vascular may be involved in the activation of HO-1. New Zealand white rabbits were fed regular control diet or control diet added with 0.3% curcumin (wt/wt) for four weeks. Acute vascular inflammation of rabbits was induced by putting a collar on the left common carotid artery for 24 hours. HO-1 inhibitor and siRNA were used to investigate the role of HO-1 in the anti-inflammatory effect of curcumin in collared vascular. We also explored the mechanism of curcumin-induced activation of HO-1 in vitro. The serum bilirubin and vascular, liver, and spleen HO-1 mRNA levels were significantly increased in curcumin-treated rabbits. The vascular inflammation was significantly decreased in the curcumin-treated animals compared with the control. Treatment of the rabbits with an inhibitor of HO or HO-1 siRNA to knock down the carotid artery HO-1 abolished the ability of curcumin to inhibit vascular inflammation. Treatment of cultured human artery endothelial cells with curcumin induced the HO-1 expression through the activation of nuclear factor-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and an antioxidant responsive element via the p38 MAPK signalling pathway. In conclusion, curcumin inhibits vascular inflammation in vivo and in vitro through the activation of HO-1.

Highlights

Curcumin is a natural ingredient found in turmeric, which comes from the Curcuma longa that is commonly consumed in South and Southeast Asian countries [1]
New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits were fed regular control diet or control diet added with 0.3% curcumin and daily ip injected with PBS or Zinc-protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) for four weeks followed by carotid artery collar implantation for 24 hours
Whether curcumin can protect against vascular inflammation and the corresponding molecular mechanisms through which it may achieve this have not been clearly elucidated

Summary

Introduction

Curcumin is a natural ingredient found in turmeric, which comes from the Curcuma longa that is commonly consumed in South and Southeast Asian countries [1]. In traditional Chinese medicine, curcumin is used to treat different diseases. Curcumin has been shown to exhibit several therapeutic properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and cardiovascular protective properties [2, 3]. Studies have reported that curcumin has favourable effects in the therapy of postoperative inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease due to its anti-inflammatory properties [4,5,6]. The inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases, such as atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndrome. The effect of curcumin on vascular inflammation has yet to be studied

Methods

Results

Conclusion