Daphnetin reduces endotoxin lethality in mice and decreases LPS-induced inflammation in Raw264.7 cells via suppressing JAK/STATs activation and ROS production.

OBJECTIVE: Here, we used various approaches to investigate the suppressive role of daphnetin in LPS-induced inflammatory response, with the goal to understand the underlining molecular mechanism by which daphnetin regulated these processes.

METHODS: We examined the survival rate and the lung injury in the mice model of LPS-induced endotoxemia. The production of pro-inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, nitric oxide (NO), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) was measured by ELISA and nitrite analysis, respectively. The expression of inducible NO synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), and the activation of signaling molecules was determined by immunoblotting. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was measured by the ROS assay.

RESULTS: In vivo study showed that daphnetin enhanced the survival rate and reduced the lung injury in mice with LPS-induced endotoxemia. Both in vivo and in vitro study showed that daphnetin prevented the production of pro-inflammatory factors including TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, NO, and PGE2 after LPS challenge. In Raw264.7 cells, we found that daphnetin reduced LPS-induced expression of iNOS and COX-2, and suppressed LPS-induced ROS production. In addition, we found that daphnetin suppressed the activation of JAK/STATs pathway and inhibited the nucleus import of STAT1 and STAT3.

CONCLUSIONS: Here, our results indicate that daphnetin shows anti-inflammatory properties, at least in part, through suppressing LPS-induced activation of JAK/STATs cascades and ROS production.