High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) can be actively secreted by macrophages/monocytes in response to exogenous and endogenous inflammatory stimuli (such as bacterial endotoxin, TNF-α, IL-1, and IFN-γ) or passively released by necrotic cells and mediates innate and adaptive inflammatory responses to infection and injury. Here, we demonstrated that a reactive oxygen species, hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), induces active and passive HMGB1 release from macrophage and monocyte cultures in a time-and dose-dependent manner. At nontoxic doses (e.g., 0.0125-0.125 mM), H 2 O 2 induced HMGB1 cytoplasmic translocation and active release within 3-24 h. At higher concentrations (e.g., 0.25 mM), however, H 2 O 2 exhibited cytotoxicity to macrophage and monocyte cell cultures and consequently, triggered active and passive HMGB1 release. In addition, H 2 O 2 stimulated potential interaction of HMGB1 with a nuclear export factor, CRM1, in macrophage/ monocyte cultures. Inhibitors specific for the JNK (SP600125) and MEK (PD98059), but not p38 MAPK (SB203580), abrogated H 2 O 2 -induced, active HMGB1 release. Together, these data establish an important role for oxidative stress in inducing active HMGB1 release, potentially through a MAPK-and CRM1-dependent mechanism.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.