Abstract
6-(Methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate (6-MSITC) is a major bioactive compound in wasabi (Wasabia japonica), which is a typical Japanese pungent spice. Recently, in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that 6-MSITC has several biological properties, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiplatelet, and anticancer effects. We previously reported that 6-MSITC strongly suppresses cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and cytokines, which are important factors that mediate inflammatory processes. Moreover, molecular analysis demonstrated that 6-MSITC blocks the expressions of these factors by suppressing multiple signal transduction pathways to attenuate the activation of transcriptional factors. Structure-activity relationships of 6-MSITC and its analogues containing an isothiocyanate group revealed that methylsulfinyl group and the length of alkyl chain of 6-MSITC might be related to high inhibitory potency. In this paper, we review the anti-inflammatory properties of 6-MSITC and discuss potential molecular mechanisms focusing on inflammatory responses by macrophages.
Highlights
Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are a group of naturally occurring sulfur compounds containing –N=C=S functional group, available often abundantly from many cruciferous vegetables
6MSITC blocked LPS-induced COX-2 expression by suppressing extracellularregulated protein kinase (ERK) and p38 kinase signaling cascades leading to the activation of CREB and C/EBPδ (Figure 2)
We have demonstrated that 6-(Methylsulfinyl)hexyl isothiocyanate (6-MSITC) has inhibited several inflammatory factors such as COX-2, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and inflammatory cytokines at the transcription factor/promoter levels
Summary
Isothiocyanates (ITCs) are a group of naturally occurring sulfur compounds containing –N=C=S functional group, available often abundantly from many cruciferous vegetables. There are a significant number of naturally occurring and synthetic ITCs, and numerous studies have demonstrated the chemopreventive and anti-inflammatory properties of ITCs in vitro and in vivo [3,4,5]. Accumulating evidence suggests that ITCs exert their effects through a variety of signaling pathways involved in detoxification, inflammation, apoptosis, and cell cycle regulation, among others [4,5,6]. Several lines of evidence demonstrated the pharmacological potencies of 6-MSITC, such as anti-inflammatory [11,12,13], antimicrobial [14], antiplatelet [15], and anticancer [16,17,18] effects. We describe the anti-inflammatory properties of 6-MSITC and discuss potential molecular mechanisms with special attention to several inflammatory factors in macrophages
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
