EVOO diets exerted a noteworthy beneficial effect in chronic DSS-induced colitis by cytokine modulation and COX-2 and iNOS reduction via downregulation of p38 MAPK. In addition to the beneficial effect by EVOO, supplementation of the diet with hydroxytyrosol may improve chronic colitis through iNOS downregulation plus its antioxidant capacity.
A B S T R A C TSqualene is a natural triterpene consumed as an integral part of the human diet. Increasing evidence demonstrates that squalene has antioxidant, cardioprotective and anticarcinogenic activities. Nevertheless, its anti-inflammatory properties remain unclear. The effects of squalene on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-mediated inflammatory response in murine macrophages and human monocytes and neutrophils were investigated. Squalene reduced intracellular levels of ROS, nitrites, cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IFN-γ) and proinflammatory enzymes (iNOS, COX-2 and MPO), including a decreased expression of TLR4and key proteins for signalling pathways mediated by NF-κB (IκBα), MAPKs (JNK) and MMPs (1, 3 and 9). In addition, squalene enhanced expression levels of anti-inflammatory enzymes (HO-1) and transcription factors (Nrf2 and PPARγ). This study establishes that squalene has significant potential for management of inflammatory conditions characterized by an overactivation of neutrophils/monocytes/macrophages and thereby for the efficient termination of the inflammatory response.
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