Korean J Anat.  2004 Jun;37(3):301-308.

Nuclear Translocation of NF-kappaB/Rel Component by PCSC22 Isolated from Poria cocos Sclerotium

• Lee KY
• Kim HY
• Jeon YJ
• Chang IY

Abstract

The sclerotium of Poria cocos Wolf, which grows on the roots of pine trees, has long been used as a sedative and diuretic (Chang and But, 1987). The accumulating data revealed that certain ingredients of the sclerotium of Poria cocos showed anti-tumor activities (Kanayama, 1986). Although the mechanism of anti-tumor activity is not known, the polysaccharides may potentiate the host defense mechanism through the activation of immune system. In the present study we show that PCSC22, a polysaccharide isolated from the sclerotium of Poria cocos with one percent sodium carbonate, significantly induces nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible NO synthase (iNOS) transcription. To further investigate the mechanism responsible for the induction of iNOS gene expression, we investigated the effect of PCSC22 on the activation of NF-kappaB/Rel, whose binding site was located in the promoter of iNOS gene. Immuno-histo-chemical staining of p65 and p50 showed that PCSC22 produced strong induction of NF-kappaB/Rel nuclear translocation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) further confirmed the activation of NF-kappaB/Rel by PCSC22. In conclusion, we demonstrate that PCSC22 stimulates macrophages to express iNOS gene through the activation of NF-kappa B/Rel.

Keyword

Sclerotium of Poria cocos; Macrophages; iNOS; NF-kappa B/Rel

MeSH Terms

Binding Sites
Carbon
Cocos*
Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay
Gene Expression
Immune System
Macrophages
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Pinus
Polysaccharides
Poria*
Sodium
Wolves
Carbon
Nitric Oxide
Nitric Oxide Synthase
Polysaccharides
Sodium